Posting Language
Title
Authorize award and execution of a construction contract with Matous Construction, Ltd. for the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant Centrifuges project, in the amount of $11,136,000 plus a $1,113,600 contingency, for a total contract amount not to exceed $12,249,600.
[Note: This contract will be awarded in compliance with City Code Chapter 2-9A (Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program by meeting the goals with 35.63% MBE and 0.32% WBE participation.]
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department
Managing Department
Public Works Department
Fiscal Note
Funding is available in the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Capital Budget of Austin Water.
Purchasing Language:
Single bid received through a competitive Invitation for Bids solicitation.
For More Information:
NOTE: Respondents to this solicitation, and their representatives, shall direct inquiries to Rolando Fernandez, 512-974-7749, Garrett Cox, 512-974-9423, or the Project Manager, Jules Parrish, 512-974-9385.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
January 12, 2022 - Recommended by the Water and Wastewater Commission on a 6-1 vote with Commissioner Moriarty voting no, Commissioner Penn recusing, and Commissioners Atallah and Williams absent.
Additional Backup Information:
The Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant (HBBMP) receives all the bio-solids (wastewater sludge) generated by Austin’s two regional wastewater treatment plants. At the HBBMP, the incoming biosolids require thickening before further processing (anaerobic digestion, dewatering, and composting). The current thickening system utilizes gravity belt thickeners and newly installed centrifuges. The gravity belt thickeners are either non-operational due to age and corrosion (installed in 1990) or are temporary (exterior system exposed to weather).
This project replaces the remaining gravity belt thickeners with new centrifuges, thereby increasing the reliability of the thickening system. Additional benefits of the project include a reduction in process water usage, and a reduction in the production of odors and corrosive gasses, making for more efficient treatment, and a safer working environment.
This item includes six allowances.
• The allowance of $20,000 will be used to address the disassembly of the temporary thickening system;
• The allowance of $15,000 will be used to address the unforeseen underground appurtenances;
• The allowance of $20,000 will be used to address any unforeseen conditions in the non-potable water system;
• The allowance of $10,000 will be used to address the conditions of the non-potable water system metering;
• The allowance of $12,000 will be used to address the thickener complex process area heaters, and
• The allowance of $40,000 will be used to address any adjustments to the electrical design.
An allowance is an amount that is specified and included in the construction contract or specifications for a certain item(s) of work whose details are not yet determined at the time of bidding.
This contract will include award of two alternate bid items for sludge removal from the flow equalization basin and a thorough cleaning of the interior of the thickener complex process area. An alternate bid is a specified item of the construction work that is priced separately and may be awarded as part of the contract if the bids come within the specified budget.
Staff held a mandatory pre-bid meeting and five prime contractors attended. After bid opening, staff interviewed contractors that attended the pre-bid meeting but did not submit bids. Reasons provided for not bidding included scheduling conflicts with other bids, and resource allocation challenges given other ongoing projects.
Due to the potential for unforeseen conditions in rehabilitating aging infrastructure, a 10% contingency in funding has been included to allow for the expeditious processing of any change orders. A contingency is an additional amount of money added to the construction budget to cover any unforeseen construction costs associated with the project. By authorizing the additional contingency funding, Council is authorizing any change orders within the contingency amount.
There will not be direct public impact because all work will be on City property (HBBMP) that is not open to the public.
Failure to construct this project in a timely manner may result in thickening equipment failure at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant. Failure to thicken wastewater biosolids could impact other treatment processes and result in the creation of excessive odors and the necessity to store potentially large volumes of untreated sewage adjacent to the Colorado River.
The contract allows 550 calendar days for completion of this project. This project is located within zip code 78725, within the City's Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.
Matous Construction, Ltd. is located in Belton, Texas.
Strategic Outcome(s)
Strategic Outcome(s):
Safety, Health and Environment.