CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
December 15, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Meg McWade, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO LEONIDA BUILDERS, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,755,891 FOR “POMONA TRANSIT CENTER ADA IMPROVEMENTS (I),” PROJECT NO. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938 RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Authorize City Staff to reject the apparent lowest bid in its entirety from Turn Around Communication, Inc. for “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements (I),” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938; and Award a construction contract to the lowest responsive bid from Leonida Builders, Inc. for “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements (I),” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938, to include all Base Bid items plus Additive Alternate Nos. 1 and 2 in the total amount of $1,755,891; and Find that the project referenced above is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301(c) and that the proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment; and Authorize the City Manager to execute the construction contract and any subsequent change orders on behalf of the City of Pomona (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in awarding a Public Works Construction Contract to Leonida Builders, Inc. in the total amount of $1,755,891 to include the Base Bid items and Additive Alternate items No.’s 1 and 2 for “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements (I),” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will award a construction contract in the amount of $1,755,891 to Leonida Builders, Inc. The following table details the fiscal impacts associated with the recommended actions:
Category
“Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements (I)” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938 Beginning Project Budget
$2,859,730
Expenditures/Encumbrances
(as Dec 8, 2025)
($794,760)
Construction Contract Award
($1,755,891)
Budget Remaining
$309,079
As a note, this project may need additional funding should unanticipated railroad or other issues occur as the project continues. Should the need for additional funding arise, Staff would return to City Council for consideration of an appropriation.
PUBLIC NOTICING REQUIREMENTS:
In accordance with Section 2-1003 - Formal Procedure of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, a Notice Inviting Bids for construction of “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938 was posted on the City’s electronic bidding platform, Planet Bids, on October 28, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The Project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301(c), in that it meets the guidelines for the implementation of CEQA because the project consists of the operation, repair and maintenance of existing facilities.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On April 18, 2022, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2022-60 amending the FY 2021-22 CIP Budget creating the Project and appropriating $600,000 of General Fund Reserves to the Project.
On June 6, 2022, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2022-94 adopting the FY 2022-23 CIP Budget, and appropriated $400,000 of Prop A Funds to “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938.
On June 5, 2023, City Council approved Resolution 2023-24 adopting the FY 2023-24 CIP Budget and appropriated $800,000 of Prop A Funds to “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938.
On September 18, 2023, City Council awarded a Professional Consultant Services Agreement to HR Green Pacific, Inc. for Design and Construction Management services.
On June 3, 2024, City Council approved Resolution 2024-85 adopting the FY 2024-25 CIP Budget and appropriated $100,000 from the City General Fund and $70,955 from Prop A Funds to “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938.
On June 2, 2025, City Council approved Resolution 2025-72 adopting the FY 2025-26 CIP Budget and appropriated $78,402 in Series “BI(AW)” Bond Proceeds, $789,723 in Series “BI(AX/AI)” Bond Proceeds, and $20,650 in Series “BG(formerly AU/AV)” Bond Proceeds to “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938.
DISCUSSION:
The Project provides for improvements to the Downtown Transit Center in accordance with the terms of the Settlement Agreement with the US Department of Justice (USDOJ) to address deficient items related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. Staff already addressed several of the required improvements, internally, having those improvements signed off and accepted by the USDOJ. However, there are other larger-scale items that require design and construction beyond Staff resources.
On October 28, 2025, the City issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) No. 2025-36 “Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-67938 via the City’s electronic bidding platform, Planet Bids. The solicitation was disseminated to 955 potential bidders, with 53 of them downloading the IFB, resulting in the City receiving six (6) proposals. Bids were due on November 13, 2025, and were thoroughly reviewed. The bids received are reflected in the table below:
Contractor
Total Base Bid
Total Additive Alternates (1-4)
Total Base Bids & All Additive Alternates
1 Turn Around Communication, Inc.*
$1,264,112
$344,485
$1,608,597
2 Leonida Builders, Inc.
$1,428,476
$327,415
$1,755,891
3 CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc.
$1,503,992
$388,820
$1,892,812
4 PUB Construction, Inc.
$1,737,458
$281,164
$2,018,622
5 Elegant Construction, Inc.
$1,618,609
$454,083
$2,072,692
6 RMS Construction
$1,826,360
$401,098
$2,227,458
Engineer’s Estimate
$1,538,000
*Staff is recommending rejecting Turn Around Communication, Inc. bid The City is recommending rejecting the apparent lowest bid proposal received from Turn Around Communication, Inc, for both the base bid and additive alternatives, to provide construction improvements for the Project. The right to reject any and/or all bids or proposals is expressly reserved to the City and said decisions shall be final (PMC § 2-993.1(d)(6).). There are several discrepancies with Turn Around Communication’s bid that ultimately deemed them “non-responsive.” First, Turn Around Communication’s bond documents were reused from a previous bid (IFB 2025-26’s bond documents were cancelled and reused for IFB 2025-36). Second, Staff contacted Turn Around Communication’s references that were provided in the bid documents. As a result, those references confirmed that they did not have any record of Turn Around Communication performing any work for those jurisdictions. Finally, Turn Around Communication did not include ONYX as a paving subcontractor on their bid, as they were required to do. ONYX has been pre-designated to provide over fifty percent of the work in this Project and Turn Around Conmmunication failed to list them.
The next apparent lowest bidder, Leonida Builders, Inc. did not turn in required MBE/DBE/WBE documents; however, since the MBE/DBE/WBE goal was updated to be Zero (0) percent during the bid process with an addendum issued in accordance with current Federal guidance and noted by Leonida, this is a minor deviation that City Council waives. References were checked and Leonida Builders, Inc. performed satisfactorily on similar projects. Staff recommends awarding a construction contract to Leonida Builders, Inc. in the amount of $1,755,981.
If approved by Council, the Project will improve the Downtown Pomona Transit Center station and surrounding areas with the rehabilitation of sidewalks, walkway paths, pavement, signing and striping, interior building work, platform work, and all other necessary work for compliance with accessibility requirements.
Prepared by:
Shandy Dittman
Public Works Fiscal and Project Manager
Attachments: Public Works Contract – Pomona Transit Center ADA Improvements (428-67938) Reject Apparent Lowest Bidder and Award Construction Contract for Project No. 428-67938 to Leonida Builders, Inc.