City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: November 19, 2024
From: Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works
Department: Public Works
Submitted by: Carlos Velazquez, Engineering Aide
Subject
Contract with Oppenheimer National for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvements and Street Tree Planting Along Santa Fe Avenue and Vernon Avenue Recommendation
A. Find that award of the proposed contract is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), part (c) (existing highways and streets), because the Project is merely to repair existing streets and involves no expansion of existing use; B. Accept the bid proposal from Oppenheimer National as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, and reject all other bids;
C. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a contract with Oppenheimer National for ADA Improvements and Street Tree Planting, in substantially the same form as submitted, in an amount not-to-exceed $657,000; and
D. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $65,700 in the event of an unexpected changed condition in the Project, and grant authority to the City Administrator to issue change orders for an amount up to the contingency amount, if necessary.
Background
The proposed Capital Improvement Project consists of constructing 15 ADA ramps, 125 tree wells, and ten tree planters along Santa Fe Avenue and Vernon Avenue. The City's tree planter design will collect runoff from the gutter and bring it into the tree planter, where the runoff is treated through a combination of biofiltration, evapotranspiration, and infiltration while at the same time supplementing the irrigation requirements of the tree. Vernon's Public Works Engineering team designed this tree planter standard in-house.
On August 14, 2024, the Public Works Department advertised the Notice Inviting Bids (NIB) for Contract No. 20250060 – ADA Improvements and Street Tree Planting Along Santa Fe and Vernon Avenue, in accordance with Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.070(A) for competitive bidding. The NIB was posted on the City's PlanetBids website. The Department has utilized the template Notice Inviting Bids, Bid form, Project Specifications, Instruction to Bidders, and Specifications and Contract forms approved by City Council. The bids for Contract No. 20250060 were received and opened on September 10, 2024. The calculated results are as follows:
1. Oppenheimer National $657,000.00
2. Kormex Construction Inc. $686,250.00
3. Axion Group $710,937.50
4. DASH Construction Company Inc. $749,925.00
5. Onyx Paving Company Inc. $787,000.00
6. Addison Miller, Inc. $789,250.00
Public Works staff reviewed the bids and deemed that the bid received by Oppenheimer National is the lowest responsive and responsible bid. Based on a thorough bid evaluation, staff recommends award of the proposed Contract to Oppenheimer National. The proposed contract has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney's Office.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact is not-to-exceed $722,700, including a ten percent contingency. Los Angeles County’s Safe Clean Water Program (SCWP) will fund $401,740. The remaining $320,960 is budgeted and available in the General Fund, Public Works Department, Street Maintenance Division, Capital Outlay Account No. 011-040-430-660000 for the current fiscal year.
Attachments
1. Contract with Oppenheimer National