City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 26, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.I
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources Subject: Award Bid and enter into Agreement with General Pump Company, Inc. for Water Well and Booster Pump Repairs and Maintenance
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Award Bid #4448 to General Pump Company, Inc. for water well and booster pump repair and maintenance for the Public Works Department.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with General Pump Company, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $3,200,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica’s Water Resources Division provides safe, reliable, and highquality drinking water to over 93,000 residents and over 2,700 businesses in the City.
The City’s local groundwater supply accounts for over 60 percent of the City’s water supply and historically costs 30 percent less than imported water supplies. To maintain reliable production of local groundwater, the Water Resources Division contracts out maintenance, repair and installation services for groundwater production wells and booster pumps used in the production, treatment, and distribution of high-quality drinking water to the community. Staff recommends awarding an agreement to service and maintain the City’s inventory of wells and booster pumps to General Pump Company, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $3,200,000 over a five-year period.
Discussion
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The Water Resources Division maintains three groundwater well fields that have a total of ten groundwater production wells and booster pumps at the Charnock and Arcadia Water Treatment Plants which distribute high-quality drinking water throughout the city.
Maintenance, installation, and repair services are critical to delivering reliable drinking water around the clock to the community. The City’s groundwater production wells pump groundwater from the Santa Monica Basin for treatment and require routine preventative maintenance activities including chemical treatments, jetting, nylon/wire brush services to remove well debris, video logging, and repairs to motors, casings, and controls, for efficient local groundwater production. Booster pumps on the drinking water distribution side help maintain adequate system water pressure and move water from groundwater wells to treatment facilities and water storage reservoirs that ultimately serve the community through the City’s 200+ mile network of water distribution mains and fire hydrants. The booster pumps require periodic replacement and repairs including fabrication of custom parts such as wear rings, line shafts, and bowl assemblies, to maintain reliable operations. Production, treatment, and distribution of local groundwater historically costs 30 percent less than purchasing imported water for potable water uses in the city. Maintaining reliable groundwater production helps maintain affordability of potable water to the city’s customers.
The selected contractor is also required to have a machine shop capable of fabricating custom well and pump parts, supplying and installing new equipment as needed, providing pump rigs, cranes, service trucks, and responding to urgent service requests within 24 hours of notice on a 24/7 basis.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder General Pump Company, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria Price, the ability, capacity, and skill of the bidder to perform or provide the materials or services.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.180
Submittals Received
General Pump Company, Inc. $16,579 Lane Christensen Company $58,755 3 of 4
Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
03/07/2023 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 12 04/20/2023
Best Bidder Justification
The bids were reviewed by a selection panel consisting of staff from the Public Works Department’s Water Resources Division and were evaluated based on experience and cost of services. Based on these criteria, the selection panel unanimously ranked General Pump Company, Inc. as the best qualified firm to provide water well and booster pump maintenance and repair services.
Environmental Review
The maintenance, repair, and replacement of groundwater wells and booster pumps are categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Section 15301 of provides exemption for the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency's determination. This award agreement would ensure that the City’s existing groundwater wells and booster pumps are maintained and/or repaired. The agreement would not expand or materially change existing facilities or operations. Therefore, the award agreement is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Water Fund to award an agreement with General Pump Inc. for water well and booster pump maintenance and repair services.
Agreement Request
FY 2023-24 Budget
Request Amount
Account Number Future Year
Amount
Total Contract
Amount
200,000 50500001.550010 $866,667 $1,066,667
250,000 50500002.550010 $1,083,333 $1,333,333
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150,000 50500003.550010 $650,000 $800,000
600,000 Total: $2,600,000 $3,200,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Initiative Form - General Pump Company, Inc.