AGENDA #4g

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Bids for the Construction of the Jones Ferry Road Park-Ride Lot

 

DATE:             April 22, 2002

 

The attached resolution would award a contract for the construction of the Jones Ferry Road Park-Ride Lot in the Town of Carrboro.  The resolution would also authorize the Manager to approve change orders for this project as necessary up to a cumulative total of $54,000, but not to exceed the combined total project cost of $1,134,000, without additional Council action.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Grant funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) were awarded for this project in November 1999.  The park-ride lot project was included in the Town’s 1998-2003 Capital Improvements Program.  Please see Attachment 1.

 

This park-ride lot project is part of an ongoing effort to provide sufficient park-ride lots in every major corridor leading into the Town of Chapel Hill.  The Town currently provides public transit services from the 54 East, Southern Village and Eubanks Road park-ride lots, all approximately 500-space lots.  The Carrboro Plaza lot on Old Fayetteville Road has 145 spaces, and was the first phase of a plan to provide park-ride services in the western corridor, similar to what exists in the other corridors leading into Chapel Hill.  The 443 spaces in the Jones Ferry Road lot, which is leased from the University, would increase park-ride capacity in the western corridor to a total of 588 spaces.

 

The project includes the lease of 7.73 acres of land from the University of North Carolina at $1 per year; the engineering and design of a 400+ space lot; and construction and electrical services for the park-ride lot.  Transit service to be provided to the lot includes express service in the peak periods to the University, midday service and Tar Heel Express services during special events.  The University will pay the cost of express service during peak hours of operation.  Midday service will be provided by modification of the existing C Route and Tar Heel Express is self-supporting.

 

A Federal Transit Administration grant of $710,000 was awarded for the project in 1999. A portion of those funds were used to design the lot and to honor a condition of the land lease agreement with the University requiring the Town to reimburse the University up to $32,000 for the relocation of a tree nursery located on the premises.

 

On April 10, 2002, the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee approved the reallocation of State Transportation Program funds totaling $424,000, which when added to the original $710,000 grant, provides sufficient funds to proceed with award of a contract to build the parking lot.  Please see Attachment 2.

 

The attached budget ordinance would increase the existing budget by $424,000 to a total of $1,134,000.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Specifications were developed and bid notices were sent to eleven construction companies in the Triangle area and distributed to seven minority vendors and sixteen minority business organizations in North Carolina.  The Notice to Bidders was published in the February 27, 2002 and March 3, 2002 editions of The Chapel Hill Newspaper and also in the February 28, 2002 edition of The Challenger Newspaper, a minority publication.

 

Thirteen bids were received, publicly opened, and read at 3:00 p.m. on March 26, 2002.  The bids were as follows: 

 

Contractors

Base Bid

Alternate One

Total

C.C. Mangum

$992,195.97

-195.00

$992,000.97

Narron Construction

$993,925.75

714.00

$994,639.75

Jones Bros., Inc.

$994,266.40

523.60

$994,790.00

W. E. Garrison

$1,018,261.06

-1,683.00

$1,016,578.06

Triangle Grading and Paving

$1,028,380.00

263.50

$1,028,643.50

Mellott Trucking

$1,035,342.75

128.00

$1,035,470.75

Barnhill Contracting

$1,042,973.71

-43.40

$1,042,970.32

C & J Utilities

$1,023,967.09

25,110.70

$1,049,077.79

S. T. Wooten

$1,050,994.95

29,010.50

$1,080,005.45

Carl Norris Construction

$1,122,994.33

1,059.10

$1,124,053.43

Riley Contractors Group

$1,132,194.13

1,086.47

$1,133,280.60

Blythe Development Company

$1,154,834.05

-1,266.50

$1,153,567.55

Rifenburg Construction

$1,202,934.00

663.00

$1,203,597.00

 

Alternate One

 

Alternate One to the base bid provides for decreasing the curb and gutter from 24” to 18” throughout the lot, with the exception of bus plaza/turnaround area.  This alternate was requested in the bid as a cost saving item.  We recommend that Alternate One not be accepted because the bids indicate that it would not save construction costs and because retaining the 24” gutters would make it easier to maintain the lot.

 

The two lowest bids received, C.C. Mangum and Narron Construction, were rejected as non-responsive bidders. Neither bid contained the federally required Buy America, Lobbying or Debarment certifications.  Federal regulations require that these certifications be submitted at the time of bid opening.  Federal Transit Administrators were contacted for concurrence in this decision. 

 

The lowest responsive bid was received from Jones Bros, Incorporated.  The bid from Jones Bros, Inc. met all federal and State requirements and included a minority participation of 13%, exceeding the project goal of 12%.

 

We contacted references regarding the low bidder’s financial status, stability, reputation, quality and timeliness of their work, responsiveness to their clients and sensitivity to neighbors of the construction site.  Based on this information, we believe that Jones Bros, Incorporated is responsible and well qualified to construct the lot within the project period.

 

Art in Transit

 

While the Federal Transit Administration regulations make allowances for art in transit projects the planning and design of art in transportation facilities must be included in the annual Unified Planning Work Program and the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs for capital projects, or included in the project in the planning stages of the project.  Art was not included as a capital expense for this project because the Council had not adopted the Percent for Art policy at the time the project was originally proposed.  Any future park-ride projects will include provisions for art.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Council:

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

  1. Location Map (p. 7).
  2. April 8, 2002 Memorandum from Mayor Foy to the Transportation Advisory Committee (p. 8).

A RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE JONES FERRY ROAD PARK AND RIDE LOT (2002-04-22/R-6)

 

WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has solicited formal bids by legal notice on February 27, 2002, February 28, 2002 and March 3, 2002 in accordance with G.S. 143-129 for the construction of the Jones Ferry Road Park and Ride Lot; and

 

WHEREAS, the two lowest bids received, C.C. Mangum and Narron Construction, were rejected as non-responsive bidders, thereby making the lowest and responsive bidder Jones Bros., Incorporated; and

 

WHEREAS, the following bids were received and opened on March 26, 2002;

 

Contractors

Base Bid

Alternate One

Total

C.C. Mangum

$992,195.97

-195.00

$992,000.97

Narron Construction

$993,925.75

714.00

$994,639.75

Jones Bros., Inc.

$994,266.40

523.60

$994,790.00

W. E. Garrison

$1,018,261.06

-1,683.00

$1,016,578.06

Triangle Grading and Paving

$1,028,380.00

263.50

$1,028,643.50

Mellott Trucking

$1,035,342.75

128.00

$1,035,470.75

Barnhill Contracting

$1,042,973.71

-43.40

$1,042,970.32

C & J Utilities

$1,023,967.09

25,110.70

$1,049,077.79

S. T. Wooten

$1,050,994.95

29,010.50

$1,080,005.45

Carl Norris Construction

$1,122,994.33

1,059.10

$1,124,053.43

Riley Contractors Group

$1,132,194.13

1,086.47

$1,133,280.60

Blythe Development Company

$1,154,834.05

-1,266.50

$1,153,567.55

Rifenburg Construction

$1,202,934.00

663.00

$1,203,597.00

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town accepts the bid and awards the contract, to the lowest responsive bidder, Jones Bros., Inc., for the base bid amount for the construction of the Jones Ferry Road Park and Ride Lot in the amount of $994,266.40.

 

This the 22nd day of April, 2002.

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2001 (2002-04-22/O-3)

 

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2001” as duly adopted on June 25, 2001 and the same is hereby amended as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Current                                                                Revised

Budget                 Increase           Decrease          Budget

 

APPROPRIATIONS

 

Transportation Capital Grant $710,000               $424,000                            $1,134,000

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

Current                                                                Revised

Budget                 Increase           Decrease          Budget

 

REVENUE

 

Transportation Capital Grant $710,000               $424,000                            $1,134,000

 

 

This the 22nd day of April, 2002.

 

JONES FERRY ROAD PARK AND RIDE LOT

 

Project Cost Summary

 

 

Architectural and Engineering Fees                                $ 51,108

Testing                                                             $ 2,590

Removal of University’s Nursery                                   $ 32,000

Construction                                                                 $ 994,266

Contingency                                                                 $ 54,036

 

                                                            Total                $1,134,000