CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Bid Award and Agreement with Ames Construction, Inc. for Construction Services for the Bradley Road Bridge Over Salt Creek Project
MEETING DATE: May 7, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Carlos E. Geronimo, Engineering Manager
REVIEWED BY: Nick Fidler, Public Works Director
APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Award bid and authorize the City Manager to execute a Contract Services Agreement with Ames Construction, Inc. for construction services for the Bradley Road Bridge Over Salt Creek Project, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 13-04, in a total not-to-exceed amount of $16,152,581.15; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1, in substantially the form provided in the attached Draft Amendment, to the Utility Agreement with Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) updating the total reimbursement costs in a total not-to-exceed amount of $2,921,200; and
3. Adopt a budget amendment resolution appropriating $2,921,200 of Capital Project Funds (Fund 4320) in revenues and expenditures.
DISCUSSION
The Bradley Road Bridge Over Salt Creek Project, CIP No. 13-04 (“Project”), would replace the existing low-flow crossing located on Bradley Road at Salt Creek with a 335 foot-long by 64-foot- wide all-weather bridge to accommodate the conveyance of 100-year flood flows. The Project also includes access ramps on either side of the bridge abutments, major drainage improvements, relocation of the existing Salt Creek Trail crossing, bridge lighting, and striping. The Project area includes the segment of Bradley Road from south of Rio Vista Drive and continues to just north of Potomac Drive.
On March 20, 2025, an electronic bid opening was held following the administration of a formal competitive bid process for construction services for the Project. The bid opening resulted in the receipt of ten bid submissions, as summarized in Table 1.
City of Menifee Staff Report
CIP 13-04 Bradley Bridge Bid Award
May 7, 2025
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TABLE 1 – BID RESULTS SUMMARY
Firm Name Total Bid Amount Lowest and
Responsible Bidder
Engineers Estimate $14,400,000.00
Myers & Sons Construction, LLC $16,147,489.25
Ames Construction, Inc. $16,152,581.15 X
Beador Construction Company, Inc. $16,460,300.00
Riverside Construction Company, Inc. $16,492,847.05
Ortiz Enterprises, Inc. $18,376,574.00
Griffith Company $18,540,400.00
Steve P. Rados, Inc. $19,005,943.00
Reyes Construction, Inc. $19,234,297.00
MCM Construction, Inc. $21,876,389.00
SEMA Construction, Inc. $22,321,872.01
Due to the Project receiving federal funding through the Community Project Funded Congressional Directed Spending (CPFCDS) Program, all proponents were required to submit specific Caltrans forms within five days of the bid opening deadline. Although Myers & Sons appeared to be the lowest bidder, they failed to submit the required forms by the specified deadline and were therefore deemed non-responsive.
Staff reviewed the second lowest bid and determined that Ames Construction, Inc. (“Contractor”) satisfies all requirements to be recommended as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
The Contractor submitted all required documentation and forms by the specified deadline. The total cost for construction services with the Contractor is $16,152,581.15.
Construction management and inspection services, including labor compliance and materials testing, were previously awarded by the City Council on November 1, 2023, to Accenture (formerly Anser Advisory) in an amount not to exceed $2,253,619.42.
The total estimated construction cost for the Project is $18,589,312.80. This estimate includes additional expenses such as external agency permitting and inspection fees, mandatory environmental mitigation payments, and other potential unforeseen costs during construction. The previously awarded Accenture construction management services agreement is not included in this construction cost estimate.
If approved by the City Council, the tentative Project schedule would be as follows:
Construction Start: June 2025
Construction End: August 2026
City Council Acceptance: December 2026
The timeline above assumes no delays due to weather or unforeseen conditions.
City of Menifee Staff Report
CIP 13-04 Bradley Bridge Bid Award
May 7, 2025
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Environmental Impact
Due to the Project receiving federal funds, the project had to prepare and clear the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Pollution Agency (NEPA).
Under CEQA, the project has been determined to be a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and under NEPA, a Categorical Exclusion (CE).
The CEQA MND, SCH No: 2016121033, was filed on February 27, 2017, and has made the following determinations:
1. The project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
2. A Negative Declaration was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA.
3. Mitigation measures were made a condition of the approval of the project.
4. A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was adopted for this project.
5. A statement of Overriding Considerations was not adopted for this project.
6. Findings were not made pursuant to the provisions of CEQA Since the time of adoption of the Final MND, information regarding associated or nearby improvements have been identified, including minor improvements within the approved project impact footprint under the purview of other public agencies. Therefore, as lead agency under the CEQA, the City prepared an Addendum to the Final MND on December 2021 in accordance with CEQA (California Public Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) and implemented CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, Chapter 3, § 15000 et seq.), addressing changes from what was previously assessed in the Final MND. Caltrans is the lead agency for NEPA in the State of California. Caltrans has certified that it has carried out the responsibility to make this determination pursuant to 23 U.S. Code § 326 and the Memorandum of Understanding dated April 18, 2022, executed between Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Caltrans. Caltrans has determined that the project is a Categorical Exclusion under 23 CFR 771.117(c): activity (c)(26).
This determination was made on March 29, 2024.
EMWD Reimbursement and Utility Agreement
EMWD owns and maintains all water and sewer appurtenances in the Project area and is therefore responsible for the costs associated with the adjustment or relocation of these utilities.
It is typical for the identified water and sewer utilities to be adjusted or relocated by the City’s Contractor and later reimbursed by EMWD. In August 2024, a Utility Agreement was executed which identified the utility relocation efforts associated with the Project in the total amount of $2,028,000.00. Following the formal bidding process, the bid item costs associated with the utility relocation efforts came in higher than originally anticipated.
As a result, the Utility Agreement must now be amended to reflect the Contractor’s actual bid item costs, which would increase EMWD’s total reimbursable amount to $2,921,200.00. The terms for Amendment No. 1 are currently under review to ensure the City’s interests are protected. As a result, minor modifications to the language in the proposed Amendment may occur. Changes to the Amendment language would not impact the final reimbursable amount, which would remain for a total amount not-to-exceed $2,921,200.00. EMWD is aware of the increased costs associated with the relocation efforts and has agreed to amend the Utility Agreement accordingly.
The proposed Budget Amendment Resolution (BAR) would appropriate $2,921,200.00 within the Capital Projects Fund (Fund 4320) to the current fiscal year budget to reflect the reimbursable City of Menifee Staff Report
CIP 13-04 Bradley Bridge Bid Award
May 7, 2025
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costs supporting the construction phase of the Project, which EMWD would be responsible for reimbursing the City upon completion.
The amount of Amendment No. 1 to the EMWD Utility Agreement and the proposed Contract Services Agreement (“Contract”) exceed the City Manager’s signing authority. Pursuant to Menifee Municipal Codes §3.12.040 and §3.12.090, any contract amount that exceeds the City Manager’s signing authority shall be approved by the City Council, and any amendment or change order in the amount greater than 10% of the original agreement amount, or that exceed the City Manager’s signing authority, shall be approved by the City Council.
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Connectivity and Mobility
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of the approval of Amendment No. 1 to the Utility Agreement with EMWD is for the total amount not-to-exceed $2,921,200.00. The Council would adopt a BAR to appropriate corresponding revenues, which would be a reimbursement by EMWD upon completion (4320- 437710), and expenditures within the Capital Projects Fund (4320-PWD-CIPS-760000) to the current fiscal year Project budget in the amount of $2,921,200.00 as summarized in Table 2.
TABLE 2 – PROJECT APPROPRIATION
Fund Project Account String Revenue Budget Expenditure Budget Capital Projects CIP13-04.4320.CON.CAE $2,921,200.00 $2,921,200.00 TOTAL $2,921,200.00 $2,921,200.00
The fiscal impact of the proposed Contract with Ames Construction, Inc. is for a total amount not- to-exceed $16,152,581.15. The total anticipated fiscal impact for the construction phase of the Project, which would include additional costs such as external agency permitting and inspection fees, mandatory environmental mitigation payments, as well as other unforeseen costs that may arise during construction, is $18,589,312.80. Funding for the proposed Contract is available in the FY 2024/2025 budget within the General Fund, (1100-PWD-CIPS-760000), Quality of Life Fund (1105), Grant Fund (2301), Developer Impact Fee (DIF) 17 - Roads Fund (2509), DIF Citywide Circulation Fund (2526), DIF Citywide Storm Drain Fund (2527), and Capital Projects Fund (4320), as summarized in Table 3 on the following page.
City of Menifee Staff Report
CIP 13-04 Bradley Bridge Bid Award
May 7, 2025
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TABLE 3 – PROJECT BUDGET
Fund Project String No. Available Budget Anticipated
Cost
General CIP13-04.1100.CON.CAE $752,003.53 $0.00
Quality of Life CIP13-04.1105.CON.CAE $1,422,756.68 $1,422,756.68 Grant CIP13-04.2301.CON.CAE $9,200,000.00 $9,200,000.00 DIF 17 – Roads CIP13-04.2509.CON.CAE $11,020.54 $11,020.54 DIF Circulation CIP13-04.2526.CON.CAE $1,712,098.05 $621,133.93 DIF Storm Drain CIP13-04.2527.CON.CAE $593,764.00 $0.00 Capital Projects CIP13-04.4320.CON.CAE $1,976,470.00 $1,976,470.00 Capital Projects
(EMWD Reimbursable) CIP13-04.4320.CON.CAE $2,921,200.00 $2,921,200.00 TOTAL $18,589,312.80 $16,152,581.15
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Location Map
2. Contract
3. Utility Agreement - EMWD
4. Draft Amendment No. 1 to Utility Agreement - EMWD
5. Budget Amendment Resolution