Staff recommends the City Council approve and award the MET Transit Office Addition and Remodel Construction Project to Swank Enterprises for $3,376,643.00

On March 14, 2022 the City of Billings MET Transit system was notified by the Federal Transit Administration of its successful application and award of competitive Section 5339 Bus and Bus Facility funding in support of facility remodel and refurbishment in the amount of $1,600,000 federal funds requiring at least $400,000 in local match. On July 10, 2023, the City Council approved Ammendment 10 with the Aviation and Transit Department's contracted A&E firm for the design, engineering, and construction project management of an office expansion and remodel project for MET's primary facility, the METroplex, which is located at 1705 Monad Rd. This project consists of the remodel of existing building space with the addition of offices and large conference room to the administrative area, refurbishment of facility items in need of repair, and various building system updates. The expansion and layout remodel will allow for centralization of MET Transit daily operations, provide additional offices for existing personnel and expansion, provide a large meeting space, improve the customer lobby area, and provide a dedicated classroom to support the requirements of the Entry Level Driver Training and Public Transit Agency Safety Plan regulations. Facility repair items primarily include removal and refurbishment of facility skylights that currently cause water penetration throughout the facility and repair of previous building addition joints that also allow for moisture penetration. Various building systems will also be updated including HVAC systems and the addition of secure access control. Through this project, MET Transit will extend the useful life of its 40+ year old primary facility, ensuring continued usability into the future by not only improving current functionality in accordance with required Federal programs, but also adding additional space to be utilized for future expansion and opportunities.

This project was advertised in the Yellowstone County News on February 16, 2024, February 23, 2024 and March 01, 2024 with a revised notice published on March 08, 2024 and March 15, 2024. On March 19, 2024, the following bids were received:

CONTRACTOR             BID
Swank Enterprises        $3,376,643
TW Ridley, LLC             $3,692,888
 

City Council may:

• Approve the award of the MET Transit Office Addition and Remodel Project to Swank Enterprises for $3,376,643; or,
• Not Approve the award, reject all bids, and delay the project.

The MET Office Addition and Remodel project will be executed using a combination of Federal funding and local funding. MET has adequate capital reserves to execute this project and will be utilizing a combination of Section 5339(B) competitive federal funds and Section 5339(A) formula federal funds; this project was budgeted and approved in the FY24 Capital Improvement Plan. Funding details as follows:

Total                      Federal (56%)              Local(44%)
$3,376,643            $1,879,397                    $1,497,246

As legislative funding action has been delayed at the federal level, MET may utilize additional federal funds using pre-award authority in support of this project once the City is informed of the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 formula capital award; in anticipation of this, MET has programmed additional funds for facility support in the recently adopted Transportation Improvement Plan.