For City Council Meeting March 26, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM: Tim Sullivan, Director of Maintenance and Facilities
Title
Consideration of Award of a Construction Contract to Leonida Builders Inc., a California Corporation, in the amount of $427,760, for the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award a Construction Contract to Leonida Builders Inc., in the amount of $427,760 for the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803.
2. Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Related Documents.
Body
BACKGROUND
The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid highway program, the purpose of which is to achieve a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The HSIP is a federally-funded, State-administered program under 23 U.S.C. 148, 23 U.S.C. 150, and 23 U.S.C. 130 and regulated by 23 CFR Parts 924 and 490. Under 23 CFR Part 490, each State is required to establish annual safety performance targets for five measures: 1) number of fatalities, 2) number of serious injuries, 3) fatality rate (per hundred million vehicle miles traveled), 4) serious injury rate, and 5) number of non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries.
On October 20, 2016, the City of Rialto submitted a grant application for the HSIP Cycle 8 from the Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (FSTIP) to improve safety for motorists and pedestrians traveling along Baseline Road between Willow Avenue and Meridian Avenue. A pedestrian fatality between Willow Avenue and Lilac Avenue resulted in the proposed inclusion of a fence between these two roads.
The City Council authorized the release of the Request for Bids (RFB) for the Baseline Median Project (Project) in January 2023. Staff presented the bid results to the Economic Development Committee (EDC) in June and requested that the EDC provide a recommendation on the construction award for the Project. EDC recommended awarding the Project solely on the Base Bid Schedule and separating Bid Schedule A, the Baseline Road pedestrian fence, to be advertised as a standalone project.
On July 25, 2023, the City Council awarded I E General Engineering Inc. a construction contract for $1,391,338 to construct a raised median between Riverside Avenue and Pepper Avenue. The cost for Bid Schedule A, as submitted by I E General Engineering Inc., was $592,400.
Schedule A was not included in the contract awarded to I E General Engineering and led to the formation of the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803. Through the EDC’s recommendation and bidding the fence project as a standalone project, the City’s construction costs have been reduced by $164,640. The median extension and fence are meant to deter midblock and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings to increase safety in the area. The median extension is necessary to provide a suitable foundation and footing for the fencing and does not provide the width needed to include a landscaping component. The project limits are shown in Figure 1 and identified by the red line.
Figure 1
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
On January 30, 2024, the City released RFB No. 24-016 for the construction of the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803, and published the Notice Inviting Bids on the PlanetBids.com website.
On February 29, 2024, the City received two (2) bids, tabulated in Table 1 below:
Table 1
A complete bid summary is included as Attachment 1. The engineer’s estimate was $450,000. The lowest responsible and responsive bid was $427,760 submitted by Leonida Builders Inc. Staff reviewed the bid and found Leonida Builders Inc. to be properly licensed and qualified. Leonida Builders Inc.’s Disclosure Statement, Contractor’s License, and DIR verification documents are included as Attachment 2. Staff recommends that the City Council accept the bid received from Leonida Builders Inc. as the lowest responsible and responsive bid. A construction contract with Leonida Builders Inc. for the project is included as Attachment 3.
Environmental Impact:
Section 21084 of the California Public Resources Code requires that the guidelines for implementation of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) include a list of classes of projects that have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and which shall, therefore, be exempt from the provisions of CEQA. In response to that mandate, the Secretary for Resources identified classes of projects that do not have a significant effect on the environment and are declared categorically exempt from the requirement for the preparation of environmental documents. In accordance with 14 CCR Section 15301 “Existing Facilities,” Class 1 projects consist of the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing structures and facilities; therefore, the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803 is considered categorially exempt from CEQA. Staff has prepared and will file a Notice of Exemption for the project.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
Approval of this action also complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
Goal 4-1: Provide transportation improvements to reduce traffic congestion associated with regional and local trip increases.
Policy 4-1.1: Establish and maintain standards for a variety of street classifications to serve both local and regional traffic, including Major Arterial Highways, Major Arterials, Secondary Arterials, Collector Streets, and Local Streets.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the agreement and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The project is currently funded by the Capital Projects Fund Account No. 33007305-53001 for $540,000.
The contract to Leonida Builders Inc., in the amount of $427,760 for the Baseline Road Median Fence Improvement Project, City Project No. 240803, will be funded by the Capital Projects Fund, Account No. 33007305-53001-240803-05.
Licensing
A Business License Tax at the Professional Services rate in the amount of $504 will be assessed.