DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Homer Garcia III
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 5
SUBJECT:
Construction Contract for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection
SUMMARY:
This ordinance accepts the lowest qualified bid and awards a construction contract to J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $458,244.81 for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection located in Council District 5. Funding in the amount of $330,775.02 is available from the voter approved Sales Tax Venue funds included in the FY 2020 - FY 2025 Capital Improvement Program, $101,292.29 is available from the Parks and Recreation Department General Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget, and $26,177.50 is available for supplemental trees and irrigation from the Tree Canopy Preservation and Mitigation Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
This ordinance approves a construction contract with J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection, which provides walkable/bikeable access from Brazos St. and Avenida Guadalupe area to the Apache Creek Greenway. The project consists of a 13-foot wide concrete multi-use trail and creates an inviting community space with the incorporation of: a pavilion with picnic tables and outdoor equipment, an overlook area, foundations for two Public Art sculptures, native tree plantings with irrigation, and bilingual wayfinding signage in English and Spanish. Design work was performed by MP Studio Landscape Architecture.
This project provides access to the trail system as well as connects the community to recreational opportunities and alternative modes of transportation. The trail connection will serve an area of San Antonio with a score of 10 according to the City’s Equity Atlas Matrix. The Brazos St. Pocket Park represents a strong investment that will benefit nearby residents including SAHA’s Alazán-Apache Courts, Ernest Olivares Senior Community Residences, and the new SaySí campus.
The proposed project is part of a growing network of interconnected hike and bike trails known as the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails System, which is funded through sales tax initiatives approved by voters in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. 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.
The Request for Low Qualified Bids was advertised from May 27 through June 30, 2020
in the Hart Beat, CIVCAST, the Texas Electronic State Business Daily, the City’s website, and announced on the City’s public access station TVSA. Seven (7) bids were received. After reviewing the bidders’ qualifications and conducting interviews, J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. was selected with the lowest qualified bid of $458,244.81. A standard construction contract will be executed, and a summary of the bids is shown on Exhibit I. It is anticipated that construction will begin in Fall 2020 and be completed in 2021.
This contract will be executed in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts to 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 17% Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) subcontracting goal and a 2% African American Business Enterprise (AABE) subcontracting goal. J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. is a small minority owned firm that will be self-performing the 17% M/WBE subcontracting goal. Additionally, they have agreed to meet the 2% AABE subcontracting goal.
This construction contract was developed utilizing the formal competitive bid process; therefore, a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.
ISSUE:
This ordinance accepts the lowest qualified bid and awards a construction contract to J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $458,244.81 for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection located in Council District 5. This project was presented to and supported by both the Linear Creekway Parks Advisory Board and the Westside Creeks Restoration Oversight Committee.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to award this construction contract and request staff rebid the project. However, in doing so the project would be delayed and risk potential cost increases due to market inflation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance accepts the lowest qualified bid and awards a construction contract to J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $458,244.81 for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection located in Council District 5. Funding in the amount of $330,775.02 is available from the voter approved Sales Tax Venue funds included in the FY 2020 - FY 2025 Capital Improvement Program, $101,292.29 is available from the Parks and Recreation Department General Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget, and $26,177.50 is available for supplemental trees and irrigation from the Tree Canopy Preservation and Mitigation Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance to accept the lowest qualified bid and awarding a construction contract to J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection in an amount not to exceed $458,244.81.