TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Clifford G. Finley, Public Works Director
DATE:September 12, 2023
SUBJECT: Guard Rail Project (MI 2574)
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Reject bid received on August 2, 2023.
2. Authorize staff to re-advertise the Guard Rail Project (MI 2574) for construction bids.
3. Find that the project is Categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to 14 CCR 15301.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Minimal staff time and costs required to advertise for bids are included in the Adopted FY 2023-24 General Fund Budget.
Total project budget is comprised of an estimated $535,500 in project carryover from FY 2022-23 to FY 2023-24, including $512,500 in Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Grant funds. The estimated total project cost is $667,000. Additional funding for construction costs will be requested at the time of construction contract award depending on bids received.
BACKGROUND:
In May 2021, the City prepared a Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) to address commuter, bicyclist, and pedestrian safety in Thousand Oaks. Through the development of the LRSP, data analysis was conducted to determine which countermeasures could improve roadway safety. Nine locations were identified for guardrail replacement based on the existing condition of guardrails and the configuration of the roads. At these locations, existing guardrails have separated from the wooden anchor posts, which have deteriorated due to age and exposure to the elements and are no longer vertically upright.
Guard Rail Project MI 2574
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6 The Guard Rail Project will replace 1,900 feet of existing guardrails per Caltrans standards at nine locations (Attachment #1). The new residential street guardrails (1,400 feet) will be coated with a rustic brown color to blend into the surrounding environment. This project will also replace 205 guardrail wood posts that were damaged during the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
In September 2020, staff submitted an HSIP Grant application to Caltrans for the project. The $512,500 HSIP Grant [CML-5392(064)] was awarded in April 2023, and accepted by City Council on June 6, 2023. On June 6, 2023, City Council authorized staff to advertise the Guard Rail Project (MI 2574) for bid, and Notice Inviting Bids was advertised per the City’s purchasing guidelines on June 30, 2023.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Following the mandatory pre-bid walkthrough, one bid was received and publicly opened on August 2, 2023, as follows:
Bidder Bid
Ardalan Construction Company, Inc. (Thousand Oaks, CA) $884,401.57 The bid from Ardalan Construction exceeds the engineer’s estimate of $540,000 by approximately 64 percent. Considering only one bid was received for this project, and that it is significantly higher than the project budget, staff requests City Council reject the bid and authorize the re-advertising of the project.
Staff contacted the contractors who attended the pre-bid walkthrough and asked them why they did not bid on the project. Both contractors stated that they did not bid because they were busy and missed the due date. Prior to re-bidding the project, staff will perform additional advanced outreach to the fence contractors that attended the pre-bid walkthrough previously, as well as others to ensure as broad a bidder pool as possible, that bidders have plenty of advanced notice, and that any questions or clarification required can be addressed prior to the bid date.
The project plans and specifications were completed in-house and are available for review upon request to the Public Works Department by email at [email protected] or by phone at (805) 449-2400.
Once bids are received, staff will make a recommendation at a future City Council meeting for the award of the construction contract.
Guard Rail Project MI 2574
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6 The tentative schedule for completion of the project is as follows:
Bid Opening October 2023
Award of Construction Contract December 2023
Start of Construction January 2024
Project Completion Spring 2024
The estimated future project costs are as follows:
Construction Contract $ 604,000
Construction Contingency $ 60,000
City Furnished Material and Supplies $ 3,000
Total $ 667,000
The Guard Rail Repair Project is categorically exempt from CEQA per Section 15301 (Repair/Maintenance of an Existing Facility).
A total of $535,500 is available in the Adopted FY 2023-24 CIP Budget (including $512,500 from the HSIP Grant). The total project cost (including contingencies) is estimated at $667,000. Additional appropriation at the time of construction award may be required depending on the actual bids received.
Community Outreach: No negative impacts are expected to be associated with the project. Various communication tools and strategies, including community meetings (if needed), press releases, and social media posts will be utilized to inform the public of the project.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #6, “Public Works Infrastructure Investments.”
CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 CIP Program Budget)
Priority Two – Necessary, but not essential, and there could be consequences if deferred.
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6 COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
PREPARED BY: Saeed Zolfaghari, Associate Engineer
Attachment:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity Map
DPW:850-20\etm\H:\Council\2023\060623\MI2574 Guard Rail Project staff report.docx