SUBJECT: Contract Award for Sanitary Sewer Cleaning and Television Inspection in Support of Rehabilitation.
RECOMMENDATION: Reject low bid, return bid bond, and award Construction Contract to Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc., the second low bidder and appropriate funds.
PROJECT NOTICE/JUSTIFICATION: This project is part of the Neighborhood Sewer Rehabilitation Program and is required to renew/replace various deteriorated neighborhood collection systems throughout the City. The purpose is to reduce sanitary sewer overflows, which is accomplished by cleaning the sewer lines and television inspections to identify sewer lines in need of rehabilitation/renewal.
The work to be performed under this contract award is necessary to maintain compliance with Houston's wastewater consent decree with EPA and TCEQ.
DESCRIPTION/SCOPE: This project consists of sanitary sewer cleaning and television inspection in support of rehabilitation. This is work order driven project. Work Orders will be issued and prioritized based on factors that include, but not limited to sanitary sewer overflow and stoppage history, as set forth in the wastewater consent decree with the EPA and TCEQ. The contract duration for this project is 730 calendar days.
LOCATION: The projects are located throughout the City of Houston.
BIDS: This project was advertised for bidding on August 25, 2023. Bids were received on September 21, 2023. The five (5) bids are as follows:
|
Bidder
|
Bid Amount
|
|
1.
|
Pipe View, LLC DBA Pipe View America
|
$2,377,350.18
|
|
2.
|
Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc.
|
$2,788,029.00
|
|
3.
|
Sweeping Corporation of America, LLC.
|
$2,843,816.80
|
|
4.
|
TB Environmental, Inc.
|
$2,993,032.35
|
|
5.
|
Specialized Maintenance Services, Inc.
|
$3,362,710.50
|
AWARD: The apparent low bidder, Pipe View, LLC DBA Pipe View America, was considered non-responsive as per the City of Houston Code of Ordinance, Sec. 15.85 due to not submitting an acceptable MWBE plan. Therefore, it is recommended that this Construction Contract be awarded to the second low bidder Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc. with a low bid of $2,788,029.00.
PROJECT COST: The total cost of this project is $3,066,832.00 to be appropriated as follows:
|
Bid Amount
|
$ 2,788,029.00
|
|
Contingencies
|
$ 139,401.55
|
|
CIP Cost Recovery
|
$ 139,401.45
|
HIRE HOUSTON FIRST: The proposed contract requires compliance with the City’s ‘Hire Houston First’ ordinance that promotes economic opportunity for Houston businesses and supports job creation. In this case, Equix Integrity Southeast, Inc. does not meet the requirements for HHF designation; no HHF firms were within three percent.
PAY OR PLAY PROGRAM: The proposed contract requires compliance with the City’s Pay or Play ordinance regarding health benefits for employees of City contractors. In this case, the Contractor provides health benefits to eligible employees in compliance with City policy.
M/WSBE PARTICIPATION: The Contractor has submitted the following proposed program to satisfy the 14% MBE goal and 3% WBE goal for this project.
|
MBE - Name of Firms
|
Work Description
|
Amount
|
% of Contract
|
|
1.
|
CZ Construction, LLC
|
Sanitary sewer line cleaning and inspection
|
$ 390,324.06
___________
|
14.00%
_______
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
$ 390,324.06
|
14.00%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WBE - Name of Firms
|
Work Description
|
Amount
|
% of Contract
|
|
1.
|
C&A Construction, LLC
|
Water and sewer line and related structures construction
|
$ 83,640.87
___________
|
3.00%
_______
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
$ 83,640.87
|
3.00%
|
FISCAL NOTE: No significant Fiscal Operating impact is anticipated as a result of this project.
All known rights-of-way, easements and/or right-of-entry required for the project have been acquired.
_________________________________
Carol Ellinger Haddock, P.E., Director
Houston Public Works
WBS No R-000266-0384-4
File No. 4277-136