Sacramento City Council
February 24, 2026

City of SacramentoCity Council - 2PM Report915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814www.cityofsacramento.orgFile ID:2026-00529 2/24/2026Suspension of Competitive Bidding for the Old Sacramento Wooden Boardwalk ReplacementProject [Two-Thirds Vote Required]File ID: 2026-00529Location:Old Sacramento Waterfront, District 4Recommendation:Pass aMotionby two-thirds vote: 1) suspending competitive bidding in the bestinterests of the City; and 2) approving the use of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) project deliverymethod for the Old Sacramento Wooden Boardwalk Replacement Project.Contact:Matt Winkler, Facilities & Real Property Superintendent, (916) 808-5579,[email protected]; Ellen Sullivan, Senior Development Project Manager, Office ofInnovation and Economic Development, (916) 808-5758, [email protected]; JamesChristensen, Facilities Manager, (916) 808-5863, [email protected]; Departmentof Public WorksPresenter: NoneAttachments:1-Description/AnalysisDescription/AnalysisIssue Detail:The Old Sacramento Historic District is located along the east waterfront of theSacramento River in downtown Sacramento. The district includes a mix of 19th-century structuresthat house businesses, retail, restaurants, and residences. A defining feature of the district is thenetwork of raised wooden boardwalks that provide pedestrian access along the covered sidewalksand contribute to the area’s historic character.The wooden boardwalks were introduced during mid-20th-century revitalization efforts to evoke thecharacter of Sacramento’s Gold Rush-era riverfront. While not original 19th-century structures, theboardwalks are a critical component of the district’s historic interpretation, tourism appeal, andpedestrian circulation. The existing decking was last comprehensively replaced approximately 20years ago and has now exceeded its useful life due to heavy pedestrian use and environmentalexposure. The proposed project will replace the deteriorated wood planks to improve public safety,meet current ADA accessibility standards, and preserve the historic character of Old Sacramento.Page 1 of 3 File ID:2026-00529 2/24/2026Replacement of the boardwalk decking presents logistical challenges, including coordination withadjacent businesses, special events, parking, and pedestrian and vehicular traffic within an activetourist district. Successful delivery of this project requires a qualified contractor with experienceworking in constrained, high-use historic environments and the ability to coordinate closely with Citystaff, businesses, and the community to minimize disruption.To ensure selection of the most qualified contractor, staff recommends suspending competitivebidding and selecting a contractor through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process. Thisapproach allows the City to evaluate contractors based on experience, past performance, safetyrecord, schedule delivery, and technical expertise, rather than obtaining the lowest bid alone.Selecting a highly qualified contractor will support improved site safety, better coordination ofconstruction logistics, enhanced regulatory compliance, and more efficient use of project funds.Suspending competitive bidding is also recommended to allow use of a design-build project deliveryapproach rather than the traditional design-bid-build method. Design-build is a construction industrybest practice for complex projects in constrained environments and allows for early contractorinvolvement during the design phase. This approach will facilitate coordination with adjacentbusinesses, address constructability and site access challenges, and incorporate value engineeringand technical input to maximize project scope and more efficient use of funds.Policy Considerations:The recommendations contained in this report are consistent with City CodeSection 3.56.230(E) allowing the City Council to suspend competitive bidding to utilize an alternativemethod for a contract upon a two-third vote when City Council determines that it is in the best interestof the City to suspend the competitive bidding requirements.Economic Impacts:None.Environmental Considerations:California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The action is an administrative activity that wouldnot result in a direct or indirect significant effect on the environment and is exempt from CEQAreview. (CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5); 15060(c)(3). The City will conduct the required CEQAprocess prior to awarding a contract.Sustainability:None.Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.Rationale for Recommendation:City staff recommend suspending competitive bidding and utilizinga RFQ process to select a qualified contractor for this project. Staff further recommends use of adesign-build project delivery approach rather than the traditional design bid build method.Page 2 of 3 File ID:2026-00529 2/24/2026Under the RFQ process, the City will solicit qualifications from experienced contractors. Proposalsreceived will be evaluated by a selection committee and ranked based on established criteria,including relevant experience. The highest-ranked contractor will be engaged to performpreconstruction services, subject to successful contract negotiations. Following completion of thepreconstruction phase and refinement of project details including schedule, phasing, and materialsthe contractor will submit a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for construction. Upon staff reviewand agreement with the proposed GMP, staff will return to City Council to request approval of theconstruction contract.Financial Considerations:The boardwalk replacement project will be funded through proceedsfrom the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Revenue Bonds. On December 2, 2025, the City Councildirected staff to proceed with Phase A of the Waterfront Reinvestment Program, including the OldSacramento Boardwalk Replacement Project (the “Project”) and other identified TOT-eligible projects.As part of this authorization, staff developed a rephasing strategy to prioritize projects that couldproceed without delay, which included the Project. The City Treasurer’s Office will bring a separatereport including near-final legal documents to the City Council at a later date to obtain the formalapproval to issue TOT Revenue Bonds to finance the Project and other TOT-eligible projects.Adoption of an Official Intent Resolution allows the City to reimburse eligible expenditures incurredprior to the availability of tax-exempt bond proceeds, in accordance with Section 1.150-2 of the U.S.Treasury Regulations (26 C.F.R. § 1.150-2). Accordingly, initial project expenditures will be paid fromthe Community Center Fund (Fund 6010) until the tax-exempt portion of TOT Revenue Bonds areissued and proceeds become available.Preliminary expenditures will include issuance of the recommended RFQ, contractor selection andcoordination, and preconstruction services such as development of detailed phasing, scheduling, andconstructability planning. These preliminary costs are estimated to be less than $250,000. Sufficientfunds are available in the Community Center Fund (Fund 6010) to support this phase of the Project.Any funds expended from the Community Center Fund will be reimbursed upon issuance of TOTRevenue Bonds.The total estimated project cost is $6.4 million. Following completion of predesign services, theselected contractor will submit a GMP for construction. Upon staff review and agreement with theGMP, staff will return to City Council for approval of the construction contract. This action isanticipated to occur after issuance of the TOT Revenue Bonds and availability of bond proceeds,expected in the second half of calendar year 2026.Local Business Enterprise (LBE):Not applicable.Page 3 of 3