Council Meeting: May 22, 2001 Santa Monica, California

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: City Staff

SUBJECT: Professional Services Contract with Tetra Tech, Inc. for Investigation, Mapping and Sewer Design Services for the Lincoln Boulevard Sewer Replacement Project.

Introduction

This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Professional Services Contract with Tetra Tech, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $98,671 for investigation, mapping and sewer design services for the Lincoln Boulevard Sewer Replacement Project and approve $25,000 in contingency funds for the contract.

Background

After the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the City initiated a citywide inspection program of the sewer system to identify the locations that were damaged and requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State’s Office of Emergency Services approve funds for the repair work. The City subsequently accepted a Grant Acceleration Program (GAP) offer from FEMA in the amount of $78 million for the repair of the earthquake damaged sewer system throughout the City of Santa Monica.

The portion of sewer main in Lincoln Blvd. between Pico Blvd. and the Southerly City Limits is one of eighteen sewer repair projects. This location was impacted and damaged by the Northridge earthquake and is further affected by the increased flows that exceed the design capacity of the existing system. The City of Santa Monica has a sewer line along the centerline of Lincoln Blvd., a distance of approximately 5,050 feet, which will be replaced with a higher capacity line.

Discussion

Currently, Lincoln Blvd. is a portion of State Highway 1, carrying a high traffic volume in both directions at all hours of the day and night. The existing development along the alignment is mostly commercial and consists of offices, automotive shops, restaurants, hotels, stores, school and a medical center. The construction of this sewer main is expected to be extremely disruptive. Thus, the City is seeking the services of a consulting engineering firm to carry out a pre-construction site investigation, prepare base mapping and provide detailed design drawings for the sewer replacement work in Lincoln Blvd.

A Request for Qualifications for construction management services was issued in July 1999 to pre-qualify firms to provide design engineering and construction management services to the City of Santa Monica. A panel that included representatives from the Environmental and Public Works Management Department’s Engineering and Utilities Divisions interviewed six firms from the pre-qualified list. On March 7, 2001 cost proposals were solicited from three of the firms on the list: Black and Veatch Corporation, Montgomery Watson Americas, Inc. and Tetra Tech, Inc. The selection criteria included the firm’s understanding of the project’s scope; direct experience on similar projects and approach to work; technical competence and qualifications of the proposed staff; the ability to meet the desired time frames; and the cost of services.

Tetra Tech, Inc. has extensive experience with large projects located in Santa Monica and has effectively worked with the City, neighborhood groups and public at large on these projects.

References checked for Black and Veatch Corporation included program and construction management for projects in the City Los Angeles, City of Santa Monica and Port of Long Beach. In the City of Santa Monica, Tetra Tech, Inc. performed construction management for four sewer main replacement/relining projects.

They have proven to be very knowledgeable, competent, professional, able to conform to project timelines, manage budgets and control costs.

Staff recommends that Tetra Tech, Inc. perform the investigation, mapping and sewer design services for the Lincoln Blvd. Sewer Replacement Project.

Budget/Financial Impact

Funds required for this project are as follows:

Contract $ 98,671

Contingency $ 25,000

Total: $ 123,671

Funds in the amount of $123,671 for the investigation, mapping and sewer design services for the Lincoln Blvd. Sewer Replacement Project are available in Account No. E13311000.555060.50000.

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services contract for the investigation, mapping and sewer design services for the Lincoln Blvd. Sewer Replacement Project with Tetra Tech, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $98,671 and approve $25,000 in contingency funds for the contract; and

2. Authorize the City Engineer to issue any necessary modifications to the contract to complete additional work within budget authority.

Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director of Environmental & Public Works Mgmt.
Anthony Antich, P.E., City Engineer
Jack Schroeder, P.E., Sewer Repair Program Manager
Eugenia Chusid, Project Manager