Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 - Santa Ana Heights Fire Station Training TowerCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Memorandum January 18, 2007 COU CIL AG D NO 5 - llaalol To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Counci From: Stephen G. Badum, Public Works Direct Subject: Santa Ana Heights Fire Station Traini T er Award of Contract No. 3852 Revised City Council Staff Report Attached is a revised City Council Staff Report for the subject contract award. The initial report delivered to the City Council earlier this week inadvertently excluded one of the bid costs for the project. The revised report reflects the corrected figures. cc: City Manager City Clerk Fire Chief CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. 5 January 23, 2007 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Public Works Department Lloyd R. Dalton, PE 949 - 644 -3328 or Idalton @city.newport - beach.ca.us SUBJECT: SANTA ANA HEIGHTS FIRE STATION TRAINING TOWER AWARD OF CONTRACT NO. 3852 (REVISED) RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Approve the plans and specifications. 2. Award Contract No. 3852 to Nielsen Building Systems, Inc., for the total bid price of $863,770, and authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the contract. 3. Establish an amount of $86,400 to cover the cost of unforeseen construction expenses. 4. Approve a Budget Amendment appropriating $210,170 from the unappropriated General Fund balance to 7011- C2320715. DISCUSSION: At 11:00 a.m. on January 10, 2007, the City Clerk opened and read the following Total Bid Prices for this project: Bidder Total Bid Price Low Nielsen Building Systems, Inc. $842,600* 2 WRG Fire Training Simulation Systems, Inc. 957,600 3 Newman Midland Corp. 985,700 4 Horizons CCI Services, Inc. 1,094,700 * Corrected Bid Amount is $863,770 The low Total Bid Price is about 8% above staffs estimate of $800,000. The low bidder, Nielsen Building Systems, Inc., possesses a General Building Contractor B License °as specified in the contract documents. Nielsen is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, and has satisfactorily completed similar fire training tower projects for the cities /counties of South San Francisco, Colton, Ontario (NY), Waterloo (IA), Fairfax (VA), and other agencies since 1992. This is a design -build contract. The work consists of designing, preparing and submitting to the City for approval detailed shop drawings, substantiating calculations, catalogue cuts and specifications for constructing a fire training tower at Santa Ana Heights Fire Station No. 7; obtaining permits from the Building Department; coordinating tower construction with the City's general contractor of the fire station Santa Ana Heights Fire Station Training Tower —Award of Contract No. 3852 January 23, 2007 Page 2 ( Bernards); connecting utilities from Bernards' stub -outs and installing them within the tower; constructing the training tower and its foundations, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and surrounding flatwork; and providing training apparatus and warranties for the entire project. On January 1gth, staff instructed Nielsen to begin preparing shop drawings for the project and to submit completed drawings, substantiating calculations, catalogue cuts and specifications to the Building Department for plan check. This pre- contract instruction was needed in order to satisfy the Fire Department's desire to try to complete training tower construction concurrent with completion of the fire station. In the event that the City Council does not award Contract 3852 to Nielsen, staff will order Nielsen to cease work and remunerate them for their time in preparing the shop drawings. Plans and specifications were prepared by Public Works staff. The Contractor is to share the site, cooperate with Bemards, and complete work within 160 days in order to complete training tower construction concurrent with completion of the fire station. Onsite work is to be completed within 40 consecutive working days. Liquidated damages are $1500 per calendar day. Environmental Review: This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA per Section 15332, Class 32, pertaining to urban infill development projects. Funding Availability: Partial funding is available in the General Fund, Contributions Fund and Building Excise Tax. The contribution represents a training partnership agreement with Rancho Santiago Community College. Upon approval of the requested budget amendment, funds will be available for award and construction contingency in the following accounts: Account Description General Fund Contribution (Rancho Santiago CC) Building Excise Tax Budget Amendment Proposed uses are as follows: Vendor Nielsen Building Systems Nielsen Building Systems i • ��tr . Iton, ngineer Attachments: Bid Summary Budget Amendment Account Number 7011- C2320715 7251- C2320715 7271- C2320715 7011- C2320715 Purpose Construction Contract Construction Contingency Total: Total: Submitted by:. Amount $360,000 $350,000 $ 30,000 $210,170 $950,170 Amount $863,770 86,400 $950,170 Badum s Director City of Newport Beach BUDGET AMENDMENT 2006 -07 EFFECT ON BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE: Increase Revenue Estimates Increase Expenditure Appropriations AND Transfer Budget Appropriations from existing budget appropriations from additional estimated revenues from unappropriated fund balance X Division SOURCE: PX Account EXPLANATION: This budget amendment is requested to provide for the following: NO. BA- 07BA -038 AMOUNT: $270,770.00 Increase in Budgetary Fund Balance X Decrease in Budgetary Fund Balance No effect on Budgetary Fund Balance To increase expenditure appropriations to execute the contract with Nielsen Building Systems Inc. to design and build the Santa Ana Heights Fire Station training tower. ACCOUNTING ENTRY: BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE Fund Account Description 010 3605 General Fund - Fund Balance REVENUE ESTIMATES (3601) Fund /Division Account Description EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATIONS (3603) Signed: Signed: Signed: Approval: Administrative Administrative Approval: City Manager City Council Approval: City Clerk Amount Debit Credit $210,170.00 Automatic $210,170.00 Date G%! to Date Description Division Number 7011 Facilities Account Number C2320715 Big Canyon Fire Training Facility Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Signed: Signed: Signed: Approval: Administrative Administrative Approval: City Manager City Council Approval: City Clerk Amount Debit Credit $210,170.00 Automatic $210,170.00 Date G%! to Date CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. 5 January 23, 2007 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Public Works Department Lloyd R. Dalton, PE 949 - 644 -3328 or Idalton @city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: SANTA ANA HEIGHTS FIRE STATION TRAINING TOWER AWARD OF CONTRACT NO. 3852 RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Approve the plans and specifications. 2. Award Contract No. 3852 to Nielsen Building Systems, Inc., for the total bid price of $842,600, and authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the contract. 3. Establish an amount of $84,260 to cover the cost of unforeseen construction expenses. 4. Approve a Budget Amendment appropriating $186,860 from the unappropriated General Fund balance to 7011- C2320715. DISCUSSION: At 11:00 a.m. on January 10, 2007, the City Clerk opened and read the following Total Bid Prices for this project: Bidder Total Bid Price Low Nielsen Building Systems, Inc. $842,600 2 WRG Fire Training Simulation Systems, Inc. 957,600 3 Newman Midland Corp. 985,700 4 Horizons CCI Services, Inc. 1,094,700 The low Total Bid Price is about 5% above staffs estimate of $800,000. The low bidder, Nielsen Building Systems, Inc., possesses a General Building Contractor B License as specified in the contract documents. Nielsen is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, and has satisfactorily completed similar fire training tower projects for the cities /counties of South San Francisco, Colton, Ontario (NY), Waterloo (IA), Fairfax (VA), and other agencies since 1992. This is a design -build contract. The work consists of designing, preparing and submitting to the City for approval detailed shop drawings, substantiating calculations, catalogue cuts and specifications for constructing a fire training tower at Santa Ana Heights Fire Station No. 7 (see attached map); obtaining permits from the Building Department; coordinating tower construction with the City's general contractor of the fire station (Bemards); connecting utilities from Bernards' stub -outs and installing them within the tower, constructing the training tower and its foundations, electrical, Santa Ana Heights Fire Station Training Tower — Award of Contract No. 3852 January 23. 2007 Page 2 plumbing and surrounding flatwork; and providing training apparatus and warranties for the entire project. On January 12, staff instructed Nielsen to begin preparing shop drawings for the project and to submit completed drawings, substantiating calculations, catalogue cuts and specifications to the Building Department for plan check by February 5, 2007. This pre - contract instruction was needed in order to satisfy the Fire Department's desire to complete training tower construction concurrent with completion of the fire station. In the event that the City Council does not award Contract 3852 to Nielsen, staff will order Nielsen to cease work and remunerate them for their time in preparing the shop drawings. Plans and specifications were prepared by Public Works staff. The Contractor is to share the site, cooperate with Bemards, and complete work within 160 days in order to complete training tower construction concurrent with completion of the fire station. Onsite work is to be completed within 40 consecutive working days. Liquidated damages are $1500 per calendar day. Environmental Review: This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA per Section 15332, Class 32, pertaining to urban infill development projects. Funding Availability: Partial funding is available in the General Fund, Contributions Fund and Building Excise Tax. The contribution represents a training partnership agreement with Rancho Santiago Community College. Upon approval of the requested budget amendment, funds will be available for award and construction contingency in the following accounts: Account Description General Fund Contribution (Rancho Santiago CC) Building Excise Tax Budget Amendment Proposed uses are as follows: Vendor Nielsen Building Systems Nielsen Building Systems Prepared by: Llo Dalton, P.E. Design Engineer Attachments: Bid Summary Budget Amendment Account Number 7011- C2320715 7251- C2320715 7271- C2320715 7011- C2320715 Total Purpose Construction Contract Construction Contingency Amour $360,000 $350;000 $ 30,000 $186.860 $926,860 Amount $842,600 84.260 Total: $926,860 M/ . S V a W m H oc O a Z LL O is 05 H Z W OC Q a W D N Y OC O V J m a W o Q o ° W �F x m U Hn W Zw D a c U O ° m r m C Q c W N LL1 H b � O N b Q O n m � +7 IA J W H .. Q w � W C7 W Z U) Q W W � W U W Z_ C9 0 Z w Wa d W a } K Q N O m 0 0 0 'u Cp Y a m m m n 3 c m, N N 7 N 0 0 0 0 0 C c N fA fA fA O O O � N y yN M M N N CL N fA fA N N O i L C ci LL F N C • 5 � � O � O C m O O O O r r Q O fn N 69 fA l` m LL 60A 0603, 00 0603, 00 0 0 U 0) 9 m o 0 LL m m 3 N a a •� — °' a i m a m LL � o m � U C .E c o en, 0rs3 000 en, 000 0 C) (� L' g E L o° 3 O a 1, O O O 6 LL Q .0 m Q� c c m O O O O o O L 9 G ff9 00 � O a m r v 2) c° 0 c m c •N N H9 fA $ p Y lL m O p a�U E2 u n o'o ID pp Y C L O V E N O~ m c c L m E Q cp E. 2) m`° 3 m a c v U cm mCL m'N m 2) O .D CM LL 0 '� 0 c c c •Q—� a LL Q O F 1- u W O w a a O O O O O 61.4 61.4 O In L W O O_ m O O O O W 0 0 0 0 C-4 ce) 6,3, w m W ' lY zin in La ~ W N N M M. CC,*,) U U U a z Z O C14 C%j y_ 0 W � � N n O NLL 3 F Z c o Z C JU LL LL Q O F 1- u W O w a a CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Memo DATE: January 2007 TO: Homer Bludau, City Manager From: Fire Department Fire Chief Steve Lewis, (949) 644 -3101, slewlsCa city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Justification for Newport Beach Fire Training Tower I want to present the argument for the construction of a training tower at the Santa Ana Heights Station #7 that is presently considered for inclusion on the next city council agenda. I want to develop this document from the background of how we arrived to the point where we are today, and then present what I feel are compelling arguments for moving forward with a training tower on the Station #7 properties. Background: Most of the background information comes from a City Council Staff Report that was submitted on November 26, 2002 by then Fire Chief T. Riley. Going back as far as 1989, Newport Beach Fire Department has been in a collaborative cooperation with surrounding cities. On July 1, 1992, the cities of Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Westminster formed the Central Net Operations Authority (CNOA); a joint powers of authority agency that formalized our dispatch and training arrangement. In 1995, the City of Westminster elected to disband their Fire Department and contract with the Orange County Fire Authority; thus ending their participation as a CNOA member. Due to the large revenue loss from Westminster's departure and our perceived inability to continue to operate our communications center and deliver adequate services, the remaining agencies elected to discontinue the communication center portion of the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and join with Anaheim, Fullerton, Garden Grove, and Orange to form the Metro Cities Fire Authority and open a new communication center in Anaheim. We currently receive emergency dispatch services through Metro Cities. Since 1995, Newport Beach Fire had continued to participate as a member of CNOA, operating the Central Net Training Center (CNTC) and conducting some joint training activities. The original costs that were involved when we were using CNOA as our dispatch center were greatly reduced when we chose, at that time, to only use the training component. But the cost for the training component still was significantly high, and proceeded to increase over the years up to the cost of $147,477 (with projections to be $174,000 in 2003) when the staff report was written in November of 2002. We tracked our usage of the facility; we realized that as the cost went up our usage was going down. Newport Beach Fire Administration had to ask the question, "Is this the best way to spend our limited training funds ?" Newport Beach Fire Administration began to take a more liberal view of how to best accomplish our training needs. Newport Beach decided to withdraw as a member and just pay the flat rental rates like any other non - member. The cost for renting the facility on a yearly as needed basis has been averaging around $3,737 for the last few years. This decision to pay a flat rental rate has created a significant fiscal savings, but that move has not come without a price tag in regards to training. This background has been presented to lay the ground work for where we are today. Though the initial membership in CNOA served us well in preceding years, we are at a point in Newport Beach Fire's history where we need to seriously take control of our own destiny and create something where a void now exist. Cost Factors: Once our participation in the CNTC ceased and we began to pay only a rental fee for training, we began placing our budgeted CNTC amount ($150,000) into the following accounts. The following numbers represent our yearly inputs: $105,000 CIP fund $25,000 Salary for department Assistant (the other half of salary from #2353) $20,000 Training Operations ('Training facility rental, "Training Opportunities i.e. classes etc.) $150,000 We have placed 3 years of $105,000 into the CIP fund with FY 2007 -2008 being the fourth year. We had projected that there would be $525,000 in the CIP fund for the building of the tower on the fifth year. We were planning on taking our CIP money and coupling it with monies from our partnership with Rancho Santiago College. These amounts are represented as follows: $525,000 CIP fund (5 years) $350,000 Rancho Santiago College $875,000 the amount we estimated would be needed Obviously we still have 2 remaining years that we had anticipated for the CIP fund. So in essence we are asking for the two remaining years on the CIP fund now. The bid amount of $840,000 along with a 10% contingency amount would bring the final figure to $924,000. Our estimated figure of $875,000 (estimated in 2002') would be 6% over the projected amount. We feel that the 6% is a figure that really is not that bad given the rise in building cost in the last few years. Distance of Travel: When we engage in training activities at CNTC, we have been programming a certain number of units to be out of service during their training and travel time. For a two -hour class at CNTC, we need to have units out.of service (and out of the city) for an average of three hours due to the extended travel time. We justify this sacrifice of "best' city coverage against the value of the training that our fire personnel need to maintain their professional competency. This has become increasingly difficult since the addition of the Santa Ana Heights and.Newport Coast stations. The table below shows the round -trip distance and travel time from each of our stations: TRAVEL TIME AND DISTANCE FROM FIRE STATIONS TO CNTC Oistanc Travel Time Station 1 - 110 E. Balboa BI (1 unit) 19.64 miles 44 minutes - Station 2 - 475 32nd St (3 units) 16.64 miles 28 minutes Station 3 - 870 Santa Barbara Dr (4 units) 24.58 miles 40 minutes Station 4 - 124 Marine Av (1 unit) 22.12 miles 46 minutes Station 5 - 410 Marigold Av (2 units) 27.50 miles 44 minutes Station 6 - 1348 Irvine Av (1 unit) 19.64 miles 44 minutes Station 7 - 2301 Zenith Av (i unit) 18.06 miles 32 minutes Station 8 - 6502 Ridge Park Rd (sunk) 27.72 miles 42 minutes TRAVEL TIME AND DISTANCE FROM FIRE STATIONS TO STATION 7 Distance Station 1 - 110 E. Balboa BI (t unit) Station 2 - 475 32nd St (3 units) Station 3 - 870 Santa Barbara Dr (4 units) Station 4 - 124 Marine Av (t unit) Station 5 -410 Marigold Av (2 units) Station 6 - 1348 Irvine Av (t unit) Station 7 - 2301 Zenith Av (t unit) Station 8 - 6502 Ridge Park Rd Gunn) Travel Time 7.1 miles 16 minutes 5.3 miles 9 minutes 3.7 miles 6 minutes 5.3 miles 10 minutes 5.7 miles 9 minutes 2.4 miles 5 minutes 5.7 I believe that we are unnecessarily handicapping ourselves by having first -line apparatus leave the city on a regular basis. As I have learned first -hand since coming to this great city, the citizens have come to expect and deserve the best service possible. Once we take apparatus out of the city, they are no longer available to provide that service to our customers. We are forced to spread our coverage "thin" and have in- service units cover larger areas with longer response times. If we have our own training tower within Newport Beach's boundaries we can now give the best possible service to our citizens. In my years of managing personnel and moving apparatus during training sessions in Long Beach I had the luxury of always making sure we had a full complement of personnel and apparatus within the city boundaries. At no time is any Long Beach apparatus completely out of service. Though they may be training at the tower, they can respond to an incident when called upon. As you can see from the table above, there is no possible way any of Newport's units can respond to give assistance if needed while in training. Neighboring cities do make themselves available to help cover Newport Beach when we send units outside the. city, but this also increases the time constraints upon us. In their covering of us, it leaves their city less protected and agreements keep us on a short and tight time table. When we have used the City of Costa Mesa's training tower the traveling times are not as long as going to Huntington Beach, but they still are significant enough where fire units would not be available to help out in Newport Beach if needed. Also the Costa Mesa Tower site is a very active site and its use is dependent upon availability. If Newport Beach Fire units remain within our city boundaries to train at our own tower, we can maintain the coverage that gives our citizens the best service 365 days a year. Necessity of Trainin One of the key aspects of the firefighting profession is that of training. We are asked to have an in -depth understanding of many components of firefighting and rescue systems that we were never asked to know in previous years. Skill maintenance is necessary for performance on the emergency scene since all skills are perishable if they are not practiced on a regular basis. Skill retention can.only be accomplished with weekly and monthly repetitive practice. We are not able to accomplish that 100% of the time by using facilities outside our city. We are at the mercy of a cost factor that prohibits us from unlimited use, and we also have scheduling issues which limit us. As a renter of their facility, we are the mercy of their scheduling. If we have our own tower we have unlimited use which allows our Operations Chief to schedule training theoretically 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The Newport Beach Fire Department is a very young department. We have fire officers that have very little live experience with fire and rescue situations. There is a tremendous need to have a training program in place to compensate for the lack of real life training our personnel need. This facility will allow mentoring and role playing for young personnel as they begin to develop and enhance their careers. Having limited access to training facilities greatly impacts giving our young personnel the repetitive training that is necessary. With a training tower in place we could do evaluated testing of many skills required for all ranks. Because of limited access to a tower we have for all intents and purposes ceased doing timed and evaluated testing in the last several years. It is not uncommon in the fire service to have individual apparatus dedicate 2 to 3 hours a day to training. Since live training now is not always accessible, many times it becomes hypothetical training, or "talking through" or "walking through" a situation. We always encourage this, but it never substitutes for live action. Our personnel realize the need for training and have sought out ways to overcome the lack of a training facility. Personnel practice. at parks, parking lots, schools, and "hat in hand" asking of the private sector for the use of their buildings to practice on. Though this method helps us to be seen in the community, it also is potentially dangerous because of the possibility of incurring liability for the city through damage of public property and possible injury to the public. The training tower in many.jurisdictions is also utilized by police SWAT teams to utilize skills that need practicing. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and any city agency that would want to utilize it would be able to. Quay of Training: The training tower is the final leg of what is needed for the Newport Beach Fire Department to be recognized as a first class institution. This complete facility which would house a multi -story tower, numerous hydrants, and a huge piece of property, would be an ideal setting for multi - company drills. We would be able to train in an unhurried manner helping to perfect excellence, rather than rushing through because of time and cost constraints. A good portion of our allotted time to train is spent on the road driving to Huntington Beach. The training that would take place would be of a realistic manner that would best simulate real life situations. Newport Beach has a larger number of high -rise buildings than most cities have: These buildings require different methods of training and tactics. Having our own tower allows us to better develop personnel to handle this type of training without using private property. We have cliffs that exist throughout the city. This tower allows us to practice those skills from the roof of the tower down to the ground without going onto private property or damaging the environment by evasive training practices. When dealing with probationary firefighters we would have a controlled and unhurried work environment which would allow us to take the time to do repetitive training and testing. When working under time constraints at a guest's tower, we usually make notes of things to work on later because we cannot go over them immediately. With Newport Beach having its own training.tower we will be allowed to create a number of very diverse simulations. The number of situations that we face day in and day out need to each be addressed on a regular basis. In having our own tower we can bring crews through and evaluate and test them on any simulation we feel is necessary. We will be able to utilize several apparatus in multi - company drills without concern of having them out of the city and unable to respond. There will be no cost factor and out of service factor that will hinder us from accomplishing this. The "throwing of ladders" against building during rescues is absolutely vital in making effective rescues. Most private businesses frown on having their buildings used for this purpose since they do leave marks on the building and destroy the stucco. With a training tower we can have personnel place ladders aggressively and not be concerned of any damage. Morale: I have purposely left this issue last because I feel it is very difficult to substantiate or defend in the face of fiscal decisions that need to be made. Nonetheless, it is a very real and actual part of the workplace. In my short tenure here, I have seen the extremely high morale that exists within this department. I believe that can be shown by the almost non - existent leaving of personnel from this fire department going to other fire departments. Our personnel enjoy working here in Newport Beach. It is one of the comments that I have heard over and over again.. My goal is to make sure that we as a city do everything possible to help retain employees here in Newport Beach for years to come. A complete training program is one of those items which make this an attractive department for which to work. In my discussion with one of my chief officers with this department, he said to me, "this tower would be the most significant improvement in our fire department in my 30 years on the job ". In the process of presenting this document I hope I have not overstated my position or belabored my point. But I do believe the training tower is a significant piece of the puzzle that will help move Newport Beach Fire Department into the 21st Century. If you have any questions or want me to clarify any portion of this memo, please contact me. City of Newport Beach NO. BA- 07BA -038 BUDGET AMENDMENT 2006 -07 AMOUNT: $1as,aso.00 EFFECT ON BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE: Increase Revenue Estimates Increase in Budgetary Fund Balance Increase Expenditure Appropriations AND �X Decrease in Budgetary Fund Balance Transfer Budget Appropriations No effect on Budgetary Fund Balance SOURCE: from existing budget appropriations from additional estimated revenues PX from unappropriated fund balance EXPLANATION: This budget amendment is requested to provide for the following: To increase expenditure appropriations to execute the contract with Nielsen Building Systems Inc. to design and build the Santa Ana Heights Fire Station training tower. ACCOUNTING ENTRY: BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE Fund Account 010 3605 REVENUE ESTIMATES (3601) Fund /Division Account EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATIONS (3603) Description General Fund - Fund Balance Description Signed: �� Fin ncial Approval: Administrative Services Director Signed: Signed: Administrative Approval: City Manager City Council Approval: City Clerk Amount Debit Credit $186,860,00 Automatic $186,860.00 Date Date Date Description Division Number 7011 Facilities Account Number C2320715 Big Canyon. Fire Training Facility Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Division Number Account Number Signed: �� Fin ncial Approval: Administrative Services Director Signed: Signed: Administrative Approval: City Manager City Council Approval: City Clerk Amount Debit Credit $186,860,00 Automatic $186,860.00 Date Date Date