Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

TO:	David L. Corliss – City Manager Cynthia Wagner - Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard - Assistant City Manager
FROM:	John Shutak – Utilities Engineer
CC:	Dave Wagner – Director of Utilities Mike Lawless – Deputy Director of Utilities Philip Ciesielski – Asst. Director of Utilities Beth Krishtalka – Assistant to Director Bob Brower – Utilities Operations Superintendent
DATE:	May 13, 2014
RE:	May 20, 2014 Agenda Item – Award Bid No. B1425 and authorize the City Manager to execute the construction contract for project UT1405, Large Valve Replacement.

Background

The large valve replacement project includes the installation of a 20” butterfly valve on the existing 1954 20” concrete transmission main on the east side of Kentucky Street and north of 10^th Street, as shown on the attached map. The project will be completed by October 30, 2014 per the contract documents.

Project Details

Staff continually assess the condition of valves within the water transmission and distribution systems and, during 2013 and 2014 annual inspections, found a number of large valves (14” and larger) to be in poor or inoperable condition and in need of replacement. Staff developed a listing of valves 14” and larger in need of replacement based on field inspection records and prioritized their order of replacement based on age, overall condition, and criticality. The following priority replacement list was developed based on valve condition, age, and criticality:

Priority	Location	Size	Pipe Material (Age)
1	8^th & Kentucky	20”	Concrete (1954)
2	8^th & Tennessee	14”	Cast Iron (1886)
3	2^nd & Maine	16”	Concrete (1954)
4	21^st & Carolina	16”	Cast Iron (1970)

The existing 20” valve at 8^th & Kentucky was selected as the first priority primarily due to its condition as it is in the open position and is completely inoperable. Staff began by evaluating the location of existing valves on the 20” concrete transmission main to determine if replacement of the inoperable valve at 8^th & Kentucky in its current location would be warranted. Existing valves on the 20” concrete transmission main are located at the southeast corner of 6^th & Tennessee, the northwest corner of 8^th & Kentucky, in the intersection of 8^th & Kentucky, and on the east side of the intersection of 12^th & Tennessee as shown on the attached map. Based on the location of the existing valves, it was determined an alternate location should be selected. Staff reviewed spacing and areas available where the existing 20” concrete transmission main could be exposed for sufficient length to perform the necessary work. It was determined that the northeast corner of 10^th & Kentucky was the most suitable location to install a new valve on the existing transmission main. This location provides clear area to permit the work to be performed without interruption of traffic on Kentucky Street, optimizes spacing between valves as valves will now be spaced approximately every two blocks from 6^th to 12^th Streets, and will permit future inspection of the concrete transmission main from the new valve at 10^th & Kentucky north to the valve at 8^th Street and south to the valve at 12^th Street. The existing inoperable 20” valve located in the intersection 8^th & Kentucky Streets will be left in place and removed from the system as part of a future project.

Project History

Staff completed construction documents for the project and it was advertised for bid on April 16, 2014. Bids were opened on May 13, 2014 and the bids listed below read publicly aloud.

Bidder	Bid Amount
Nowak Construction Company	$172,260.00
Engineer’s Estimate	$182,000.00

Staff has reviewed the bid and qualifications of Nowak Construction and recommends awarding the bid to Nowak Construction Company.

Project Funding

The project will be funded from the Department of Utilities bonded construction fund. Resolution 7019 authorized the sale of general obligation bonds and/or revenue bonds for water system improvements and capital from the 2013 bond issuance is available to complete the project.

Action

Award the construction contract for Bid No. B1425 to Nowak Construction Company in the amount of $172,260.00 and authorize the City Manager to execute the construction contract for project UT1405, Large Valve Replacement.