HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-01-26 - AGENDA REPORTS - AWARD INSTALLATION OF LMD (2)CONSENT CALENDAR
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT
Agenda Item:
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval
Item to be presented by
January 2 6,,2 010
Kevin Tonoian
/9
AWARD PROCUREMENT AND INSTALLATION OF LMD
IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS
Administrative Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve plans and specifications for Phase I of the Landscape Water Management
Program (Project R0004). Award construction -contract ' to Rock Bottom for $415,300, and
authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $83,060, for a.total amount not to exceed
$498,360.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to modify the award in the event that issues of
impossibility of.performance arise, subject to City Attorney approval.
3. Find the bid of ISS Ground Control non-responsive.
BACKGROUND
The City's Landscape Maintenance Districts (LMD) manages 720 acres of landscaping located
within approximately 40 independent LMD zones. Over 400 irrigation controllers are used to
apply and regulate the amount of water used on the landscaping.. Therefore, managing the LMD,'s
water use has been and remains a top priority. The irrigation controller replacement program was
created to replace controllers which have exceeded their useful life or are obsolete due to
improved technology. When fully phased -in over the next four years, staff anticipates the new
smart controllers will reduce LMD's water use by 20 to 40 percent, For the initial phase, this
equates to an annual water savings of approximately 20 to 40, million gallons.
Staff recognizes the balance needed to maintain beautiful landscaping and seeking out
opportunities to conserve more water. Over the last several years, the City implemented projects
and programs to reduce water use while maintaining landscape at the City's high standards.
(Attachment A highlights the programs and projects.).
In 2009, staff initiated a process to identify a state-of-the-art irrigation controller that meets the
City's high standards. Various controller types were installed and tested as part of the search.
Following these efforts, in September 2009, staff circulated a request for qualification (RFQ)
process that resulted in the selection of two irrigation controller manufacturers capable of -
meeting the City's needs. The two, types of controllers selected through the RFQ process are
commonly known as weather -based irrigation controllers (WBIC).
The controllers offered by both manufacturers can automatically manage irrigation programming
based on real-time weather conditions., including immediate program shutdown in the event of
precipitation that exceeds a preset minimum value. In addition, the controllers identified through
the RFP process can be programmed to know the plant type being watered, soil conditions, and
sun orientation. All controller settings, programming, operations, system warnings, and
consumption reporting is sent and received via wireless technology to as many or as few
recipients as deemed necessary by staff.
The first phase of this multi -phased irrigation replacement program was approved as part the FY
2009-10 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget. This phase -will replace 103 irrigation
controllers, with the majority of controllers to be replaced located throughout the City's major
thoroughfare landscaped medians.
An invitation to bid for the procurement and installation of LMD irrigation controllers was
published November 29, 2009, forwarded to the appropriate trade journals, VIA, and Chamber of
Commerce, provided to 22 suppliers on file, and posted on the City website. The bid
specifications requested that contractors provide a bid to purchase and install 103 irrigation
controllers in locations selected by the City. The contractor must install one of the two WBIC
selected by the City. Over -60 bids were downloaded.from the City's website. As this is a public
works project procured under the State's Public Works Code, the use of the City's local
preference ordinance is precluded by law, and the bid will be awarded to the lowest qualified
bidder.
The bid process was highly competitive; 13 companies submitted bids which were opened
January 4, 2010. The bid prices ranged from the the low of $415,300 to the high of $615,000
The results follow:
Company
Location
Bid Amount
Rock Bottom
Bakersfield, CA
$415,300.00
ISS Grounds Control
Santa Clarita, CA
$4,17,076.50
Stay Green
Santa Clarita, CA
$417,941.00
Marina Landscape
Valley Crest Landscape
Oak Springs Nursery
Tropical Creations
American Landscape
America West Landscape
Nature Tech Landscaping
Elite Landscaping
Venco Western
Key Turf Construction
Belaire-West Landscape
Anaheim, CA
$424,263.00
Thousand Oaks, CA
$440,406.82
Santa Clarita, CA
$452,714.37
Van Nuys, CA
$493,863.00
Canoga Park, CA
$525,447.79
Chino, CA
$548,011.52
Riverside, CA
$567,000.00
Clovis, CA
$585,330.00
Oxnard, CA
$6145498.00
San Marcos, CA
$615,000.00
Buena Park, CA
$618,180.00
A review of the bids was conducted for accuracy and completeness. Staff recommends the
project be awarded to Rock Bottom, the lowest responsive bidder, in the amount of $415,300,
and authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $83,060, for a total amount not to
exceed $498,360. Rock Bottom possesses a State Contractor's License and is in good standing
with the State Contractor's License Board. Reference checks indicate the contractor -has
satisfactorily completed similar work for other public agencies.
The bid from ISS was f9und not in compliance with the State requirement for prevailing wage
and bid specifications and is considered non-responsive. While 'not the appareni lowest qualified
bid, staffbelieves it is appropriate and necessary for the Council to find ISS non -response. A
finding of non -responsiveness disqualifies ISS from future consideration in the event it is
necessary for the City Manager to exercise authority granted by the City Council to modify this
award should issues of impossibility of performance arise with the lowest responsive bidder.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund, and sufficient funds were approved in the FY 09- 10 CIP
Budget.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A — LMD Water Management Accomplishments
ATTACHMENTS
LMD Water Accomplishments
City of Santa Clarita, Landscape Maintenance Districts
Water Management Accomplishments
o During the summer of 2009, the Landscape Maintenance Division (LMD) completed the
replacement of outdated and inefficient irrigation controllers at Summit Park with state-of-
the-art smart irrigation devices. In just the first four months, the City sawthe lowest usage of
water in the last I I years, In total, the introduction of smart controllers reduced consumption
by 844,492 gallons, as compared to the previous time period in 2008.
o Increased use of mulch to keep soil cooler and reduce surface moisture evaporation.
o Replaced three miles of turf medians with shrubs and other water -efficient plant material that
will reduce LMD's water consumption in the area by approximately one million gallons
annually.
o Completed the Wiley Canyon Road median beautification project encompassing replacement
of the 40 -year irrigation system and removal of water -intensive turf The project has
significantly enhanced the aesthetics of the corridor and is expected to reduce water
consumption by more than one million gallons of water each year.
o Magic Mountain Parkway synthetic turf median demonstration project. Completed in 2008,
incorporating the use of synthetic turf in the small area allows LMD to save more than
75,000 gallons of water each year.
o TheCity's LMD operations has begun to incorporate the use of self-monitoring irrigation
controllers, flow meters, and pressure -regulating sensors in our landscape area to limit the
waste of water through overspray. The systems can also immediately detect problems and
automatically shut.off the irrigation systems in the event of a main line failure.
o At the suggestion of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Committee, LMD has initiated efforts to
change out spray nozzles with more water -efficient ones that limit the amount of gallons per
minute and enhance the spray pattern of the sprinklers. These very small changes add up to
big water savings of more than 135,000 a year,
o LMD recently completed a comprehensive irrigation system assessment in one of the City's
thirstiest landscape maintenance zones. Through the replacement of various irrigation
valves, hardware, and making simple programming adjustments, LMD reduced water
consumption by almost 5.2 million gallons compared to the previous year.
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