The Water Services Department’s capital improvements program for FY 2022 includes initiating construction of the much talked about Equalization Facility No. 1 located at the Brentwood/Metro Sewer Pumping Station, adjacent to Christ Presbyterian Academy and south of Old Hickory Boulevard. The storage facility project includes construction of an approximately 4 million gallon prestressed concrete storage tank, an addition to the existing pumping station, piping between the two facilities, and existing sewer lines and lighting and landscaping.
The project is located outside Brentwood city limits and within Williamson County and therefore project plan review and approval was required by the County. Staff and the project’s engineer worked with the County for many months, developing an acceptable project plan that meets flood zone rules and regulations. The County approved the site plan in May of this year. One challenge that still could potentially present delays in completing construction of the project’s pump station addition is that the County approval for this work is contingent upon release of the pending updated flood insurance maps since the footprint of the pump station addition lies within existing floodway. The revised flood maps (anticipated to become effective at any time) provide the necessary adjustments in the floodwayarea to allow construction of the addition. All other components of the project, including the storage tank itself and all underground utilities, can be completed under current flood zone boundaries.
On September 2, 2021, City staff publicly accepted and opened construction bids for the equalization facility project. The City received five competitive base bids ranging from a low bid of $8,997,900 to a high bid of $11,743,000. All bids include a $500,000 contingency allowance or about 5% of the average base bid price. Additionally, the bid solicitation allowed for an additive alternate in which the contractor provided pricing to purchase and install the required 1,000kw/60Hz standby generator versus the City purchasing the generator through the Sourcewell purchasing cooperative, of which the City is a member. Under the additive alternate, the City’s potential savings is $33,400. However, this savings does create a liability for the City to ensure a timely delivery of the unit to the contractor for installation in accordance with their schedule. A delay in production and/or shipping could result in a loss of this savings or even create additional costs. Based on the project engineer’s experience with such alternatives on similar projects, they recommend approving the contractor’s alternative pricing which authorizes the contractor to supply and install the unit. Their recommendation is based on the relatively low cost of the alternative coupled with the reduced liability to the City in creating delays during this challenging time of material/delivery uncertainties.
Staff agrees with the project engineer’s recommendation to award a contract to the low bidder, Cumberland Valley Constructors, located in Nashville, Tennessee, in an amount not to exceed $9,256,300.00 which includes the base bid and the additive alternate for supplying the generator. Cumberland Valley has a proven track record for completing numerous projects of similar size and scope. Funding for this project will be from collected sewer tap fees, bond proceeds from a bond issued planned prior to the end of calendar year 2021 and a planned use of $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Attached is a copy of the certified bid tabulation, the project engineer’s letter of recommendation, a copy of the project’s site plan and a location map. Should you have any questions, please contact Chris Milton, Water Services Director. |