8J
Date: November 18, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Craig Bilezerian, Public Works Director
By: Shin Furukawa, Deputy Public Works Director/City Engineer | [email protected]
Subject: Public Works – Adopt Categorical Exemption Under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Sections 15269(b), Approve Plans and Specifications, and Award Public Works Agreement for Miscellaneous Water Main Replacements, I-153 (Vista Largo Emergency Water Main Repairs) (B2025-06). Expenditure: $452,256 (Non-General Funds).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Public Works Director that City Council:
1. Adopt a finding that the project is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15269(b); and
2. Approve the plans and specifications for Miscellaneous Water Main Replacements, I-153 (Vista Largo Emergency Water Main Repairs) (B2025-06); and
3. Reject the bid submitted by Estate Design and Construction as non-responsive; and
4. Award a public works agreement to American Pipeline Services of Monrovia, CA, in the amount of $376,880 and authorize a 20% contingency in the amount of $75,376, for construction of Miscellaneous Water Main Replacements, I-153 (Vista Largo Emergency Water Main Repairs) (B2025-06) for a two-year period beginning November 18, 2025, and ending November 17, 2027.
FUNDING
Funding is available from the following funding source:
Funding Source Amount
Miscellaneous Water Main Replacements, I-153 - Water Enterprise Fund (Non-General Fund)
$452,256
1 City Council
November 18, 2025
DISCUSSION
On February 5, 2024, the slope on a City-owned parcel between Vista Montana and Vista Largo (see location map Attachment 1) was damaged by heavy precipitation which saturated the hillside.
The weight of saturated soil caused the steep hillside to give way, in turn causing a break in the 6” cast iron water main, which then further eroded the slope. Most of the damaged watermain was removed immediately after the storm event. The damaged slope was restored and strengthened in October 2024 and subsequently landscaped in May 2025.
Without the water main, customers on Vista Largo are currently being served at lower water pressures. Restoration of the water main is required to restore higher water pressures to Torrance Water customers on Vista Largo.
Categorical Exemption (CEQA)
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15269(b), emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
Award of Public Works Agreement for Construction
The project was posted on PlanetBids on July 10, 2025, and advertised for public bid on July 20, 2025, and July 27, 2025. A total of seven (7) bids were received and opened on August 6, 2025, with the following results:
Rank Vendor City Bid Price
1 Estate Design and Construction** Culver City, CA $289,700 2 American Pipeline Services* Monrovia, CA $376,880
3 Gentry General Engineering, Inc Colton, CA $386,748
4 DASH Construction Company, Inc Woodland Hills, CA $420,990 5 Giles Engineering Lake Elsinore, CA $433,063
6 Mike Prlich and Sons Inc Baldwin Park, CA $443,020
7 Ferreira Construction Co, Inc Rancho Cucamonga, CA $448,800 8 Dominguez General Engineering Inc. Pomona, CA $529,900 *Lowest responsive bidder
**Non-responsive bidder
Estate Design and Construction (EDC) submitted a bid in the amount of $289,700 and was the apparent low bidder for the project. However, while performing due diligence in reviewing EDC’s bidder submittal package, it became evident that the project references listed by EDC did not meet the requirements of projects similar in magnitude and difficulty completed by the Contractor.
Staff worked with the City Attorney’s office to determine that the bidder should therefore be deemed non-responsive, and that the contract be awarded to the next lowest bidder. Staff issued a letter to EDC on September 9, 2025, indicating the City’s intention to declare their bid as non- responsive for not meeting the requirement to list projects of similar magnitude and degree of difficulty. EDC has provided no response to the City’s letter. As such, it is recommended that the City Council reject the bid submitted by EDC as non-responsive.
Accordingly, the lowest responsive bid was submitted by American Pipeline Services (APS) in the amount of $376,880. Staff performed a thorough review of APS’s bid, licensure, references, and 2 City Council
November 18, 2025
labor compliance record. APS is the confirmed lowest responsive bidder and the Public Works Director recommends that City Council award the Public Works Agreement to APS.
APS’s bid price is within the Engineer's estimate range of $300,000 to $400,000. APS has not worked for the City of Torrance in the past; however, they have completed similar projects with favorable references. Staff received no bid protests nor correspondence from third parties about this bid.
It is anticipated that construction will begin in March 2026 and be completed within 4 months.
Construction inspection services will be performed by Public Works Inspection staff.
Further information about this project and all other active projects can be found on Public Works website at https://www.torranceca.gov/our-city/capital-improvement-projects .
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map
2. Public Works Agreement – American Pipeline Services
3 CITY OF TORRANCE
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
N
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CRAIG BILEZERIAN
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
4309
MISC. WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT, I-153
VISTA LARGO
EMERGENCY WATER MAIN REPAIRS
PROJECT LOCATION MAP
NEWTON ST.
VISTA LARGO
VISTA MONTANA
4307
4305
4259
MESA ST.
PROJECT LOCATION
NEW WATER MAIN
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