CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 17 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-6143 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Parks and Recreation Department
MEETING DATE: November 20, 2023
SUBJECT:
Fallen Heroes Memorial Site Work – Construction Contract RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to approve an alternative purchasing procedure to award a construction contract to Staples Construction Company, Inc. for site improvements for the Fallen Heroes Memorial at Central Park in the amount of $241,751.68; establish a contingency reserve in the amount of $24,175.00; and authorize the Director of Parks and Recreation to execute the contract in substantially the form presented and issue change orders within the contingency amount.
BACKGROUND:
The Parks and Recreation Department is constructing a Fallen Heroes Memorial at the direction of the City Council as part of the implementation of the Central Park Master Plan. Throughout the years, residents had been inquiring about where San Mateo has formal recognition for our fallen heroes and veterans. While there are six separate plaques scattered in Central Park recognizing veterans and service members, the City has no formal memorial. In response to community interest in 2015, Mayor Maureen Freschet recommended the creation of a memorial in Central Park to recognize all the City's Fallen Heroes, including public safety personnel. The San Mateo City Council unanimously agreed with the recommendation and directed that a Fallen Heroes Memorial be added to the Central Park Master Plan. An eleven- member steering committee, comprised of City Councilmembers, veterans, retired police and fire representatives, community members, and city staff was assembled to develop the memorial's concept.
The city contracted with RRM Design Group to develop a design concept for committee consideration. RRM returned with two concepts, including the Remembrance Poppy inspired by the national emblem of remembrance that was worn following World War I. The Committee overwhelmingly chose the Remembrance Poppy which is the preferred design recommended to the Park and Recreation Commission. The Parks and Recreation Commission agreed with this recommendation. City Council expressed unanimous support and approval for the design at its November 20, 2020, City Council Meeting. At its May 17, 2021, meeting the City Council appropriated $50,000 for construction of the memorial and approved the Fallen Heroes Recognition Policy. The design consists of seven vertical stainless-steel columns, each containing a segment of the poppy that, when viewed from a certain angle, will unite to form a single image. Each column will represent a branch of the military (and the San Mateo Police and Fire Departments) with engraved names of those who died in service. A concrete band will be embedded into the linear pavers with the specific unit’s motto etched in the concrete. Flush mounted uplighting will illuminate the names. Site furnishings will include items such as benches, monument signage and a donor recognition plaque. Brick pavers have been integrated into the design to serve as an opportunity for families to honor the service of a relative (who may not have died in the line of duty) as well as provide a means of fundraising.
The design development and construction drawings for the Fallen Heroes Memorial were prepared by the RRM Design
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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Group. The drawings were reviewed and approved by the Community Development Department and permitted by the Building Division. The scope of the work involves installing precast concrete paving, installation of Artwork (provided under a separate contract and Vendor), monuments with bronze plaques, curvilinear seating, inground up-lighting, tree-mounted down-lighting, irrigation, and landscaping. The cost to fabricate the memorial Artwork including contingency is $103,400. A separate approval request will be presented to City Council shortly for the fabrication.
The construction drawings were used as the basis for development of a fixed-price proposal utilizing a process called “job order contracting” (JOC). The JOC process includes a contract for a fixed term or maximum dollar value in which a contractor is selected based on a competitive bid to perform various and separate job orders in the future, during the life of the contract. The JOC process is a competitive procurement method for construction services approved by the City Council by resolution on March 18, 2019, pursuant to San Mateo Municipal Code section 3.60.070(h)(3), which permits the use of procedures approved by the Council that are not set forth in the purchasing ordinance. Specifically, this process involves the development of a detailed project list, establishment of a firm price using a unit price book, and the selection of a pre-qualified construction contractor upon the City’s authorization to proceed.
In this case, a multi-step process was used to select Staples Construction Company, Inc. to perform the work, subject to Council approval. First, Sourcewell (formerly known as the National Joint Powers Alliance or NJPA) conducted a competitive proposal process to select The Gordian Group, Inc. (Gordian) to implement JOC on behalf of Sourcewell member agencies. Second, Gordian competitively bids and administers the JOC process with the use of Gordian’s unit price book that will provide the best price to the City. This allows the City to complete required public improvements efficiently by eliminating the need to develop project specifications and eliminating solicitation of bids through a project-specific competitive bidding process. Here, Gordian used the JOC process to select Staples Construction Company, Inc., the low bidder and pre-qualified contractor selected to construct the improvement project. With contract approval, the procurement of materials will begin in December 2023, with construction in the winter of 2023 and completion by the spring of 2024. Based on the above, staff recommends award of the contract to Staples Construction Company, Inc. because of their experience and availability to perform these construction services.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is sufficient funding available for the Fallen Heroes Memorial Site Work Project (610027) for the construction contract and contingency. The project is funded by $303,836.81 in donations raised by the City of San Mateo Parks & Recreation Foundation, a $50,000 donation from the City, a pledge of $25,000 from the County of San Mateo, and $103,400 from the City “Art in Public Places Fund” as noted above.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
The Fallen Heroes Memorial sitework is categorically exempt from CEQA as an “existing facility,” because it consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.) The Fallen Heroes Memorial sitework is also categorically exempt from CEQA because it consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15303.)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 - Proposed Resolution
Att 2 - Construction Contract
Att 3 - Contractor’s Proposal
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STAFF CONTACT
Nicholas Tsiorvas, Business Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7408