MEETING DATE: 4/12/2022
DEPARTMENT: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCY
DEPT HEAD/DIRECTOR: Steve Loupe, Asst. Director - Public Works
AGENDA ITEM PREPARER: Steve Loupe
SBC DEPT FILE NUMBER: 790 & 105
SUBJECT:
RESOURCE MANGEMENT AGENCY – S. LOUPE, ASST. DIRECTOR - PUBLIC WORKS
Approve Contract Amendment No. 6 with Quincy Engineering Inc. (QEI) for the Panoche Road Bridge Replacement Project ((Federal Project No.BRLS-5943(056)) to complete the environmental clearance phase of the project, increase compensation in an amount not to exceed $92,728.22 and to extend the term from June 30, 2022 to June 30, 2024, and approve Budget Adjustment of $92,728.22 to the Road Fund for Fixed Asset Roads. (4/5 Vote Required).
SBC FILE NUMBER: 790 & 105
AGENDA SECTION:
CONSENT AGENDA
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
The Preliminary Engineering (PE) on this project was authorized on September 1, 2010. The project has experienced a delay between late 2015 to February 2020 after receiving review comments from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on the County’s Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) indicating potential environmental impact concerns regarding design elements of a proposed rock weir and realignment of the unnamed tributary within the project. A teleconference meeting with Caltrans, CDFW, County and QEI in October/November 2015 to discuss the issues was held. However, the issues were not addressed/resolved to the point where the project could move forward and the project essentially stalled thereafter. In February 2018, after several discussions with QEI, Caltrans and resource agencies to address the environmental issues brought up by CDFW, and to present the proposed design changes that can be acceptable to the permitting agencies and the property owner, the project was restarted. This amendment, Amendment No. 6, is for compensation for additional work that was not anticipated, which is required for NEPA and CEQA clearance and to advance the project toward final design, right of way acquisition, and construction.
Due to the delays, the project has exceeded the 10-year limit for Preliminary Engineering (PE) phase without starting right-of-way acquisition or actual construction. Federal regulations require that the project advance to either the right of way or construction phase before the 10-year limit in the PE phase. Otherwise, the County will need to repay FHWA the sum of federal funds paid to this project. To avoid repayment of federal funds and to keep this project moving, staff has prepared and submitted a PE Over 10-Year Time Extension request package on 1/08/2020 and an updated package on 02/16/2022 for Caltrans/FHWA review and approval.
Caltrans has advised the County that an increase in federal funding will not be allowed until environmental clearance (NEPA) document has been cleared on this project. Therefore, the cost for this portion of the work will need to be funded by County funds.
Once the PE Over 10-Year Time Extension request has been approved and the project has cleared NEPA, targeted to be completed by January 2023, the County will obtain additional cost information from the project design consultant to complete the remainder of the work, request for additional federal funding, and seek Board approval for another amendment to this contract for the remaining cost to complete the preliminary engineering.
RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE NEEDED FOR THIS ITEM:
No
CONTRACT NEEDED FOR THIS ITEM:
Yes
CONTRACT AND RFP HISTORY:
On December 7, 2010, the County entered into a contract with Quincy Engineering to provide engineering services for the Panoche Road Bridge replacement project at a cost of $396,995.60.
On February 7, 2012, the contract was amended to modify the scope of work to include additional engineering services and add $17,350.00 to the contract.
On June 4, 2013, the contract was amended to modify the scope of work to include additional engineering services, add $123,097.65 to the contract, and extend the term of the contract to expire on June 30, 2015.
On June 2, 2015, the term of the contract was extended to expire on June 30, 2017.
On May 23, 2017, the term of the contract was extended to expire on June 30, 2020.
On February 18, 2020, the contract was amended to modify the scope of work to include additional engineering services for design changes and updating of environmental documents as necessary to incorporate comments from the permitting agencies. The contract was amended to add $185,691 to the contract and extended the term of the contract to expire on June 30, 2022.
LAST CONTRACT AMOUNT OR N/A:
$723,134.25
STATE IF THIS IS A NEW CONTRACT/ HOW MANY PAST AMENDED CONTRACTS/ OR N/A:
5 past amendments
STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
BUDGETED:
No
Budget Adjustment Needed: Yes
Unfunded Mandate (Is this a mandate not funded by the State): Yes