Memorandum
Department of Utilities
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TO: |
Dave Corliss, City Manager |
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FROM: |
Mike Lawless, Interim Asst. Director of Utilities |
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CC: |
Dave Wagner, Director of Utilities |
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DATE: |
June 6, 2008 |
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RE: |
Wastewater Facilities Master Plan Recommendation |
Project Details
As has been stated previously, there has been a lot of change since the completion of the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan. Population growth rates have been less than projected and better technical information is now available on the location of the wastewater assets and flows in the system. In addition, millions of dollars in improvements have been completed. A new master plan will incorporate all of this information to provide a new review and recommendations for improvements to the wastewater system.
The plan will include a review of the timing for the construction and initial capacity of the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility (WWRF), a comprehensive Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a Rehabilitation & Replacement Program (RRP) and a review of the wastewater rates necessary to support all of these projects. Of most interest to the Commission are the recommendations on the WWRF and the future wastewater rates based on different population growth scenarios. In order to provide a comprehensive WWRF recommendation for the Commission, some initial work will need to be completed.
This work includes a review and/or modification to several growth scenarios and modifications to the wastewater rate model. This process could take three or four months to complete. This result will only provide what impact the WWRF has on rates not the future rates needed to support the CIP and RRP in addition to the WWRF. In order to provide future rates, the master plan would need to be completed as outlined above.
The results of the master planning effort will be a plan that maintains the existing wastewater infrastructure, plans for future growth and provides the rates necessary to fund the plan. It might be advisable to conduct a study session with the Commission to clearly define the objectives and underlying growth assumptions that will form the basis of the plan. This would include the latest Urban Growth Area Boundary, the area in the K-10 & Farmers Turnpike Plan and the basin boundaries particularly to the south as they relate to ultimate build-out. See attached maps.
The cost of the project as outlined in the RFP is estimated to be $300,000 to $350,000.
Project Status
On March 11, 2008, the City Commission authorized staff to advertise a Request for Proposals for professional engineering services to prepare a wastewater facilities master plan including a review of the scope and timing of the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility.
On April 25, 2008 in response to the Request for Proposals, staff received proposals from four (4) groups interested in the project. Proposals were received from George Butler Associates, Inc., Burns & McDonnell/BG Consultants, Carollo and Black & Veatch.
A review committee of staff members from the Departments of City Manager’s Office, Public Works and Utilities evaluated the four proposals. As indicated in the RFP, the following criteria were used to rate the responses:
Project organization & approach 30%
Firm experience with similar projects 30%
Schedule to complete the project 30%
Value added concepts proposed by consultant 10%
Staff consistently ranked Burns & McDonnell/BG and Black & Veatch as the two highest qualified respondents for the project. Based on the rankings, the Burns & McDonnell/BG team is recommended to begin contract negotiations.
Project Funding
The project could be funded with a budget authority transfer from the Non-bonded Construction account to the Operations and Maintenance line item for Professional Services. The current balance of the Non-bonded Construction account is $7.78 million.
Recommendation
Authorize staff to begin contract negotiations with Burns & McDonnel/BG for an update on the Wastewater Facilities Master Plan