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Consideration of request for a waiver of the competitive bidding process and approval of a contract with GRAEF for water main and sanitary sewer design services in conjunction with the reconstruction of North Avenue from Met To Wee to 73rd Street
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Submitted by:
David Simpson, Director of Public Works
Department
Public Works
A. Issue
The City’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP) includes the reconstruction of North Avenue from Met To Wee Lane to 73rd Street. The design is currently underway for the roadway, bridges, and storm sewers located along this route. A design contract is needed at this time in order to complete the design of water mains and sanitary sewers in conjunction with the project.
B. Background/Options
The City has applied for and has been awarded a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) for the reconstruction of North Avenue from Met To Wee Lane to 73rd Street as well as the reconstruction of the North Avenue bridges over the Menomonee River. This significant grant will pay for up to 80% of the costs related to the roadway’s structural reconstruction, storm sewer reconstruction, and reconstruction of the bridges. The grant, however, will not pay for any costs related to the reconstruction of the City’s water mains or sanitary sewers so the City will have to pay 100% of costs associated with those needs.
In order to select the design consultant for the reconstruction of the roadway, storm sewer, and bridges, the City and WisDOT proceeded through a Quality Based Selection process that included invitations to 23 engineering design consultants which resulted in 5 proposals. The proposals received were reviewed and 3 firms were interviewed. Ultimately GRAEF was selected as the preferred consultant and a contract was approved for design and the process of design is underway. Since that time City staff has worked to scope the necessary extents and sizing of the proposed reconstruction of water mains and sanitary sewers. Given the very significant length of roadway being reconstructed and age of utilities under the roadway the cost of the water main and sanitary sewer reconstruction is significant. The current cost estimates include approximately $13-15M in water main reconstruction and $5-6M in sanitary sewer reconstruction expenses. The timing of the project’s construction will likely be 2027 but it is ultimately contingent upon WisDOT funding. Given the timing of the project’s required design process from WisDOT it is imperative that we begin design of the water main and sanitary sewer as soon as possible.
Given the fact that GRAEF was selected through a request for proposal process we asked them to prepare a proposal for design services for the water main and sanitary sewer relays. Also, by considering use of GRAEF for these designs costs would be reduced because GRAEF is already surveying the project for the roadway so much of those costs will be paid through the roadway reconstruction process. City staff worked with GRAEF to scope the water main and sanitary sewer limits and design requirements so that GRAEF could prepare a cost for the City’s consideration. The proposed design fee for water main design is $540,000 and $258,500 for the sanitary sewer design. This fee based on a percentage of construction cost estimates range from 3.8% to 4.4% depending upon final construction costs. This percentage is significantly less than we normally expect for projects like this, which is generally closer to 8%-10%. Given all of these factors I am recommending that we waive the request for proposal process and award a design contract to GRAEF for a total cost of $798,500.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority Area Three: Infrastructure
D. Fiscal Impact
The 2024 Capital Budget includes the design costs for both water main and sanitary sewer for this project and the proposed design fees are within the budgeted amounts.
E. Recommendation
Approval to waive the competitive bidding process and approve a contract with GRAEF in the amount of $798,500 to provide engineering design services for all water main and sanitary sewer work in conjunction with the planned reconstruction of North Avenue from Met To Wee Lane to 73rd Street.