AGENDA #4m
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Bids for Clearing and Grading the Town Operations Center Site
DATE: September 27, 2004
The attached resolution would award the bid for clearing and grading the Town Operations Center site on Millhouse Road in the amount of $1,029,083 to Sanford Contractors, Inc. The resolution would also authorize the Manager to enter into a contract with the successful bidder upon approval of the contract by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
On November 24, 2003, the Council approved two project ordinances, totaling $42,926,500 to fund construction of the Town Operations Center on Millhouse Road. The Public Works and Public Housing portions totaled $24,391,000. The Transportation project portion totaled $18,535,500.
The entire Town Operations Center project is to be constructed using single contractors who would work on both sites; however, the contractors will be required to separate costs between the Public Works and Transportation sites. This is necessary to meet the financial accounting requirements of the federal and State Grants that will be used to pay for part of the Transportation site. Also, because of the level of commitment of State funds, $7,000,000 from its “Moving Ahead” Program, the State has asked for review and approval of contracts to be awarded under this project.
The construction work for the Town Operations Center project is to occur in phases. The first, Phase A, includes clearing, grubbing, grading and installing erosion control measures and preliminary stormwater treatment facilities. Our consulting engineer’s total estimated cost of this phase, including an alternate #1, for work to be done on the northern portion of the site which is in Orange County’s regulatory jurisdiction, was $1,639,700.
Subsequent phases of work will include off-site utility and street improvements and on-site facility construction and will be bid as separate contracts. Bidding the clearing and grading phase of the project as the first phase permits work to begin as the final building construction documents are being prepared and, thereby, accelerates overall project completion. Timing for the project is crucial because of the need to vacate the existing Public Works and Transportation sites by December 31, 2006, when the lease of that land from the University of North Carolina expires.
Specifications for the Phase A work were developed and Notices to Bidders were published in the September 5, 2004, edition of The Chapel Hill Newspaper and also in the September 2, 2004, edition of Greater Diversity, a minority publication.
Seven bids were received, publicly opened, and read at 3:00 p.m. on September 21, 2004. The bids were as follows:
|
Contractors |
Base Bid |
Alternate One |
Total |
|
Sanford Contractors, Incorporated |
675,295 |
353,788 |
1,029,083 |
|
Mountain States Contractors |
772,000 |
320,000 |
1,092,000 |
|
Rifenburg Construction |
1,057,000 |
475,000 |
1,532,000 |
|
Triangle Grading & Paving |
1,190,000 |
190,000 |
1,380,000 |
|
Faulconer Construction |
1,254,775 |
488,025 |
1,742,800 |
|
Mellott Trucking and Supply |
1,312,265 |
411,187 |
1,723,452 |
|
Clancy & Theys |
1,562,000 |
417,000 |
1,979,000 |
Alternate One to the base bid provides for clearing and grading on the northern portion of the site located within Orange County’s zoning jurisdiction. It includes work necessary to access this portion of the site including installation of an arch culvert over the site’s small northern stream and construction of a gravel haul road.
The lowest responsive bid was received from Sanford Contractors, Incorporated. The bid from Sanford Contractors, Incorporated met all federal and State requirements and included a minority participation of 10.6%. The minority participation goal set for this phase of the project was 12%. The contractor further satisfied the federal requirements by submission of their “good-faith-efforts” to achieve minority participation.
The low bidder’s financial status, stability, reputation, quality and timeliness of their work, responsiveness to their clients, and sensitivity to neighbors of other construction projects in the area are known by our consultants for this project. Based on this information, we believe that Sanford Contractors, Incorporated is responsible and well qualified to complete the project within the designated project period.
Funding
Funding for this project is available from fund balance in anticipation of financing by Certificates of Participation, now scheduled to occur in the spring of next year. This anticipatory funding was authorized by the Council in its Reimbursement Resolution of November 10, 2003.
1% for Art
The Town Operations Center project budget includes a dedication of 1% for public art. The cost of this clearing and grading phase will be included when calculating the funds available for public art. The Art component of the Town Operations Center will be accomplished under a separate contract.
We recommend that the Council:
A RESOLUTION AWARDING A BID FOR CLEARING AND GRADING THE TOWN OPERATIONS CENTER SITE (2004-09-27/R-13)
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill has solicited formal bids by legal notice on September 2, 2004 and September 5, 2004 in accordance with G.S. 143-129 for the clearing, grubbing, erosion control and stormwater infrastructure of the Town Operations Center; and
WHEREAS, the following bids were received and opened on September 21, 2004;
|
Contractors |
Base Bid |
Alternate One |
Total |
|
Sanford Contractors, Incorporated |
675,295 |
353,788 |
1,029,083 |
|
Mountain States Contractors |
772,000 |
320,000 |
1,092,000 |
|
Rifenburg Construction |
1,057,000 |
475,000 |
1,532,000 |
|
Triangle Grading & Paving |
1,190,000 |
190,000 |
1,380,000 |
|
Faulconer Construction |
1,254,775 |
488,025 |
1,742,800 |
|
Mellott Trucking and Supply |
1,312,265 |
411,187 |
1,723,452 |
|
Clancy & Theys |
1,562,000 |
417,000 |
1,979,000 |
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town accepts the bid and authorizes the Town Manager to execute a contract, contingent on the review and approval of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, to the lowest responsive bidder, Sanford Contractors, Incorporated, for the base bid of $675,295 and for alternative 1 for $353,788 with a total amount of $1,029,083.
This the 27th day of September, 2004.