DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Xavier D. Urrutia
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 6
SUBJECT:
Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway - Shaenfield Road to Culebra Creek Park
SUMMARY:
This ordinance accepts the lowest qualified bid and awards a construction contract to Tropical Contracting, LLC in the amount of $1,556,242.00, a 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funded project. They will perform construction work in connection with the Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway Trail Project from Shaenfield Road to Culebra Creek Park, located in Council District 6. This ordinance also appropriates $744,000.00 from the 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funds.
This ordinance also authorizes the execution of an Advance Funding Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to allow for the construction and maintenance of the Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway Trail Project from Shaenfield Road to Culebra Creek Park.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The proposed construction project is part of a growing network of interconnected hike and bike trails now known as the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails system, which is funded through sales tax initiatives approved by voters in May of 2000, May of 2005 and November of 2010. The objectives of the program are to acquire and preserve open space along San Antonio creekways and to develop multi-use hike and bike trails, trailheads, signage and associated amenities for use by San Antonio residents and visitors.
This ordinance will authorize the construction of a hike and bike trail system along Helotes Creek and Culebra Creek from Shaenfield Road to Culebra Creek Park and will authorize the execution of an Advance Funding Agreement with TxDOT to allow for the construction and maintenance of the Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway improvements within TxDOT right-of-way at Loop 1604. The project will consist of approximately 1.6 miles of concrete trails, a trailhead, signage and associated trail amenities and improvements. Design work was performed by Slay Engineers Co, Inc. These improvements will become unique additions to the municipal park system's creekways program for hiking, biking, and other recreational uses.
The Request for Low Qualified Bids was advertised the last week of September 2014 and the first week of October 2014 in the Hart Beat, the Texas Electronic State Business Daily, the City's website, and announced on the City's public access station TVSA. Six bids were received. After reviewing the bidders' qualifications and conducting interviews, Tropical Contracting, LLC was selected with the lowest qualified bid of $1,556,242.00. A standard construction contract will be executed and a summary of the bids is shown on Exhibit 1. Tropical Contracting, LLC currently has no City projects. It is anticipated that construction will begin in December 2014 and will be completed by December 2015.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee set a 30% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) subcontracting goal, a 22% Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) subcontracting goal and a 1% African American Business Enterprise (AABE) subcontracting goal. The Economic Development Department approved a partial waiver submitted by Tropical Contracting, LLC because the contractor demonstrated a good faith effort to provide subcontracting opportunities for small, minority, and women-owned businesses. Tropical Contracting, LLC is a certified small and minority owned business.
ISSUE:
This ordinance accepts the lowest qualified bid and awards a construction contract to Tropical Contracting, LLC in the amount of $1,556,242.00, a 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funded project. This ordinance also appropriates $744,000.00 from the 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funds.
This ordinance also authorizes execution of an Advance Funding Agreement with TxDOT to allow for the construction and maintenance of the Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway trail improvements within TxDOT right-of-way at Loop 1604.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative, City Council could choose not to award this construction contract. However, re-bidding the project is not recommended as this would not guarantee lower bids and would delay the start of construction for this project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This project is listed in the FY 2015-2020 Capital Improvement Program Budget and funds have been appropriated from 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funds. This is a one-time capital improvement expenditure in the amount of $1,556,242.00 authorized payable to Tropical Contracting, LLC. This also appropriates $744,000.00 from the 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funds.
Funding for operation and maintenance of the city-wide greenway trail system is submitted annually as part of the General Fund budget process as trail miles are completed.
There is no fiscal impact associated with the TxDOT Construction and Maintenance Agreement.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance to accept the lowest qualified bid and awarding a construction contract to Tropical Contracting, LLC in the amount of $1,556,242.00, a 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funded project, as well as appropriating $744,000.00 from 2010 Proposition 2 Sales Tax Initiative funds.
Staff also recommends approval of the execution of an Advance Funding Agreement with TxDOT to allow for the construction and maintenance of the Culebra/Helotes Creek Greenway trail improvements within TxDOT right-of-way in two locations.
This construction contract was developed utilizing the formal competitive bid process; therefore, a Discretionary Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.