REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
DATE: 11/16/2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
SUBJECT:
Title
Professional Services Agreement for Arc Flash Study with Commonwealth Associates.
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report requests the Council to approve a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Commonwealth Associates to complete a system-wide Arc Flash analysis and develop a customized electrical safety program for the City of Corona Utilities Department’s (UD) facilities. The purpose of the Arc Flash Analysis is to identify known hazards and requirements for labeling, safer work zones, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, at all of the UD’s existing facilities.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the:
a. City Council authorize an appropriation of $92,594 from the Water Utility Fund (570), $92,594 from the Sewer Utility Fund (572) and $20,576 from the Reclaimed Water Utility Fund (567) to the Capital Improvement Project No. 76280, titled Arc Flash Study.
b. City Council award Request for Proposal No. 22-045RH for Arc Flash Study services to Commonwealth Associates, in the amount of $310,168 and waive any and all minor irregularities in the bidding document as submitted by said bidder.
c. City Council authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Services Agreement to Commonwealth Associates in the amount of $310,168.
d. City Council authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to negotiate and execute non-substantive extensions, change orders and amendments up to 10% of total contract cost or $31,016 as authorized by Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.070(I).
e. City Council authorize the Purchasing Manager to issue a purchase order to Commonwealth Associates, in the amount of $310,168
f. Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct the City Council to take the above actions.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
When working in areas where an arc flash is possible, it is important to evauate what the risk is to know how to best protect those in the area. Arc flash ratings are a measure of the amount of potential danger that someone operating an electrical device faces when in the area. A higher rating means more personnel protective equipment and/or activities are required. The recommended Arc Flash study project is a system-wide evaluation and implementation to reduce the arc flash rating (a safety requirement) at all of the UD’s Wholesale Distribution Access Tariff (WDAT) locations, also known as Electric Substations, and other electrical equipment in its service area, including Water Treatment Plants, Water Reclamation Facilities, well sites, booster stations, and lift stations. This project will evaluate and reduce the arc flash rating to minimize the danger to operations and maintenance staff.
ANALYSIS:
During the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget process, the City Council approved funds for an Arc Flash study in Capital Improvement Project No. 76280.
Request for Proposals (RFP) 22-045RH was advertised pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.110, non-public projects formal bidding procedure requirements on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in the Sentinel Weekly and other digital platforms.
To select a vendor that best serves the City’s service needs, the Purchasing Division conducted the competitive bidding process by means of an RFP, as allowed by CMC Section 3.08.070(G). Staff believes that the RFP conducted for these services is in the City’s best interest because of the importance of the need to have special and a high level of expertise to perform an Arc Flash Study and develop a customized safety program. Specifically, the RFP process allows staff to evaluate potential bidders on additional criteria other than their bid amounts, such as their staffing levels, the firm’s performance history for similar studies, and their safety history.
The evaluation of the proposals recoved was based on four essential criteria: 1. Work Plan/Work Organization; 2. Qualifications of Company and Personnel; 3. Approach to Safety Measures; 4. Cost proposal.
A total of 381 vendors currently registered with Corona and 364 external vendors (not registered with Corona) were notified about RFP 22-045RH. RFP 22-045RH was viewed and downloaded by 28 firms. Four proposals were received by the due date of May 18, 2022, and subsequently reviewed by City Staff. Based on the evaluation criteria stated in the bid documents, these proposals were evaluated by a team of three staff members from different divisions. Commonwealth Associates scored highest.
The summary of proposal scoring and evaluation rankings are presented below:
|
Rank |
Company |
City/State |
|
1 |
Commonwealth Associates, Inc |
Jackson, Michigan |
|
2 |
ACSE |
Irvine, California |
|
3 |
Halco Service Corporation |
Los Angeles, California |
|
4 |
Electric Power Systems International Incorporated |
Santa Ana, California |
The contractor is required to provide the UD with highly skilled resources to handle the Arc Flash Study and work with a high level of responsiveness and quality service per bid documents and specifications.
Staff recommends that City Council authorize an appropriation of $92,594 from the Water Utility Fund (570), $92,594 from the Sewer Utility Fund (572), and $20,576 from the Reclaimed Water Utility Fund (567) to the Capital Improvement Project No. 76280, titled Arc Flash Study; and award RFP 22-045RH for Arc Flash Study services to Commonwealth Associates, in the amount of $310,168 for Arch flash study for all UD’s facilities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Partial funding for the recommended action is currently available in the Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Improvement Project No. 76280. UD requests an additional appropriation of $92,594 from the Water Utility Fund (570), $92,594 from the Sewer Utility Fund (572), and $20,576 from the Reclaimed Water Utility Fund (567) to the Capital Improvement Project No. 76280, titled Arc Flash Study. There is sufficient working capital in the respective funds for the recommended actions.
Project Budget
Arc Flash Study $310,168
Project administration $10,000
Available Funds in CIP 76280 $145,420
Additional Requested Funds $205,764
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the CEQA determination, and is therefore exempt from CEQA. This action involves an electrical arc flash study and development of a customized safety program. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: AFTAB HUSSAIN, MAINTENANCE MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - RFP 22-045RH
2. Exhibit 2 - Bid Summary
3. Exhibit 3 - Professional Services Agreement