Adopt Resolution #24-275 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for Improvement Project #25-01, Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #24-275 accepting bids and awarding a contract for construction of Improvement Project #25-01, Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements.  
 
Background:
In June of 2016, the Anoka Conservation District completed a Stormwater Retrofit Analysis for the City of Ramsey and the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO) to identify and rank potential improvement projects that drain to the Mississippi and Rum Rivers. The Stormwater Retrofit Analysis recommended modifying a wetland within Rivers Bend Park to increase the volume of stormwater runoff storage provided by this wetland that currently treats runoff from a 38-acre catchment area for the purpose of reducing sediment and phosphorus loads that can end up in the receiving water, which is an oxbow of the Rum River. See Project ID: RR8-A on page 89 of the attached modified version of the Stormwater Retrofit Analysis for reference.
 
In the Fall of 2023, the Lightbridge Academy submitted a commercial development application so staff began working with the developer to address their stormwater management requirements.  This development is located within the City of Ramsey’s East Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA) where infiltration of stormwater is prohibited so staff reached out to the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO) to confirm that the developer could purchase credits to utilize a portion of The COR regional infiltration basin to comply with the LRRWMO’s volume retention requirements.  When The COR regional infiltration basin was constructed, it was believed that the basin could be used to accommodate development within the East and West DWSMA’s. However, the LRRWMO’s engineer, BARR Engineering, recently informed staff that since the two DWSMA’s drain to different water bodies (the East DWSMA drains to the Rum River and the West (The COR) DWSMA drains to the Mississippi River) Lightbridge Academy cannot simply pay a fee to use The COR infiltration basin.
 
Discussions then turned to how Lightbridge can comply with LRRWMO requirements for stormwater runoff rate control and water quality improvements. The developer’s engineer stated they cannot provide these improvements on their site so they asked if the City could accommodate these requirements.  After discussions with the LRRWMO’s engineer it was determined that the City needed to construct stormwater management facility improvements on the west edge of Rivers Bend Park, West of the existing wetland that currently treats all stormwater runoff from the 38-acre catchment as addressed in the ACD’s Stormwater Retrofit Analysis, and that the existing wetland should not be impacted.   This existing wetland is undersized and does not meet the rate control and water quality treatment requirements per current LRRWMO stormwater standards for the 38-acre catchment that includes several undeveloped parcels including the Lightbridge Academy parcel.
 
Since this 38-acre catchment is located within the City of Ramsey’s East Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA), where infiltration of stormwater is prohibited, the pond must be lined. The LRRWMO Management Plan describes/defines sites, such as those located within a DWSMA, as infeasible or inappropriate for infiltration and identifies other scenarios for the permittee to investigate.  Volume retention requirements can either be provided on-site as part of the Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements by utilizing filtration practices as allowed by LRRWMO stormwater standards, or off-site in a regional infiltration basin located outside the East DWSMA.
 
City staff discussed various aspects of this project with LRRWMO and MPCA staff, including potential wetland impacts, options for meeting volume retention requirements, and how the timing of this project could be coordinated with the Lightbridge Academy development construction to ensure adequate stormwater runoff treatment can be provided during construction of both projects.
 
Staff coordinated the construction schedule of the City’s stormwater pond improvements project with the Lightbridge Academy development construction schedule to address concerns raised by the LRRWMO. Lightbridge Academy’s engineer prepared and submitted a phased construction plan with their LRRWMO permit application, which was approved. Lightbridge Academy will construct their building first, along with two temporary stormwater retention ponds to manage stormwater runoff, thereby minimizing disturbance to the site while the Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements project is under construction. Lightbridge Academy will then complete their site improvements, including impervious surface improvements, during the final construction phases of the Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements late this Fall or next Spring.  As of the time this report was prepared, Lightbridge Academy had not yet started construction.    
 
Bolton & Menk performed a wetland delineation to identify the existing wetland boundary and type for the wetland in River’s Bend Park that currently receives stormwater runoff from the 38-acre catchment.  The LRRWMO reviewed the wetland delineation report and issued permit #24-21 on August 15, 2024, approving the revised wetland boundary and type.  A copy of the approval letter and approved permit is attached
 
On August 12, 2024, the plans and specifications prepared by Bolton & Menk, Inc. were approved and advertisements for bids were authorized for City Improvement Project #25-01, Rivers Bend Regional Stormwater Improvements.
 
Bids were advertised in QuestCDN, the electronic bidding platform utilized by the City of Ramsey for all improvement projects, and in the Anoka Union Herald on Friday, August 16th, and again on Friday, August 23rd, 2024.
 
Five (5) bids were received, opened and tabulated on September 6, 2024, and the following bids were found to comply with the approved plans and specifications and advertisement for bids.
 

Contractor	Base Bid	Alternate Bid	Total Bid
Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC	$899,653.30	$0.01	$899,653.31
Rachel Contracting, LLC	$999,548.00	$16,900.00	$1,016,448.00
Peterson Companies	$1,009,679.76	$0.00	$1,009,679.76
U.S. SiteWork, Inc.	$1,254,337.00	$22,160.00	$1,276,497.00
New Look Contracting, Inc.	$1,546,189.50	$15,000.00	$1,561,189.50
Engineer’s Estimate	$1,169,370.00	$95,000.00	$1,264,370.00

 
Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC of Mora, Minnesota, who submitted a total bid in the amount of $899,653.31 for construction of said improvements in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and advertisement for bids, is the lowest responsible bidder. 
 

Notifications are not required for this case.    

Observations:
Attached is a copy of the final construction plans.
 
Attached is a proposal from Bolton & Menk, Inc. for construction services in the not-to-exceed amount of $15,240.  The work scope includes contract preparation and administration, shop drawing reviews, all required construction staking, assistance with processing pay applications, preparing as-built record drawings, and revising plans, if needed.
 
Tentative Project Schedule
September 24, 2024           Award Construction Contract
September 25, 2024           Conduct Preconstruction Meeting
September 30, 2024           Begin Construction
November 22, 2024           Substantial Completion (includes dormant seeding)
Summer 2025                     Final Completion / Project Closeout
 
On September 19, 2024, the LRRWMO reviewed and approved the erosion control/stormwater permit for this project, LRRWMO Permit #24-26.  Construction may therefore commence immediately upon contract execution.    
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 - Motion to adopt Resolution #24-275 accepting bids and awarding a contract for construction of Improvement Project #25-01, to Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC in the total bid amount of $899,653.31, and approving Bolton & Menk’s construction services proposal in the amount of $15,240.  
 
Alternative #2 - Motion of other.  
 

Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC, submitted the lowest total bid for construction of the improvements in the amount of $899,653.31.
 
Bolton & Menk, Inc., the design engineers, submitted the attached construction services proposal in the not-to-exceed amount of $15,240. 
 
Indirect project costs, which includes administrative, engineering, finance and legal fees, are estimated at 15-percent of the lowest total bid, or $134,948.  These costs are inclusive of Bolton & Menk’s fees for design and plan preparation, approved at a not-to-exceed cost of $83,900, and their construction services fees proposed at $15,240, along with AET’s required materials testing fees, all required LRRWMO permit fees, other permitting costs, and City staff time billed to this project.
 
Funding for this project is proposed to come from a combination of watershed grant funds administered by the Anoka Conservation District, and City Storm Water Management Funds, in the following amounts. 
 

Funding Source	Project Costs
Watershed Grant Funds	$248,250.00
Storm Water Management Funds	$786,351.31
Total Estimated Project Costs	$1,034,601.31

 
Staff is working to obtain additional watershed grant funds, which if successful will reduce the City’s total cost.   

Staff recommends approving alternative #1.    
 
Attached is a Bid Results and Recommendation memo from Bolton & Menk, Inc. stating if the City of Ramsey decides to award the project to the low bidder, Bolton & Menk recommends awarding the contract to Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC. 
 
On September 19, 2024, the Public Works Committee unanimously passed a motion recommending that the City Council accept bids and award a construction contract to the low bidder, Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC.   

Motion to adopt Resolution #24-275 accepting bids and awarding a contract for construction of Improvement Project #25-01, to Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC in the total bid amount of $899,653.31, and approving Bolton & Menk’s construction services proposal in the amount of $15,240.