TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Allison Swisher, Director of Public Utilities
SUBJECT:
title
Award of Contract for the Upper Bluff Water Main Improvements Project to Austin Tyler Construction Inc in the Amount of $5,685,247.00
end
BACKGROUND:
On January 5, 2021, the Mayor and City Council approved Resolution No. 7613, committing to water conservation through the reduction of non-revenue water in order to comply with the allocation requirements of the Level of Lake Michigan Act, 615 ILCS 50, and the corresponding State regulations. A condition of the City’s Lake Michigan water allocation permit is completion of the City’s Non-Revenue Water Reduction Plan. A major component of this Plan is water main replacement. The water main replacement, estimated at approximately 3% per year, must be sufficient to achieve the reduction of non-revenue water from the City’s water system to not more than 10 percent by the year 2030.
The 2025 Water Main Replacement Program consists of 16 contracts to replace a total of approximately 29 miles of water main, at a cost of approximately $74,500,000.00. As part of this water main replacement plan, the Upper Bluff Water Main Improvements Project was identified to be completed in 2025. This project consists of replacing approximately 12,350 linear feet of water main in various sizes on Whitney Ave. (Taylor St. to Buell Ave.); Brooks Ave. (Buell Ave. to Western Ave.); Dixon Ave. (Taylor St. to W. Division St.); Woodworth Ave. (Buell Ave. to Western Ave.); Nicholson St. (Buell Ave. to W. Division St.); Carson Ave. (Plainfield Rd. to W. Division St.); Taylor St. (Whitney Ave. to Plainfield Rd.); Whitney Terrace and alley (Whitney Ave. to Dixon Ave.); Glenwood Ave. (Wilcox St. to Whitney Ave.); W. Division St. (Dixon Ave. to N. Center St.); Buell Ave. (Wilcox St. to Western Ave.); alley (Woodworth Ave. to Nicholson St.); and Western Ave. (Wilcox St. to N. Center St.). Also included in the scope of work for this project is installation of storm sewer near St. Francis University to remove stormwater connections from the sanitary sewer and replacement of any lead water service lines encountered. Attached to this memo is an exhibit showing the project location.
Design drawings and bidding documents were prepared and the invitation to bid for the project was advertised in the Joliet Herald-News on Thursday, October 17, 2024. The Public Service Committee will review this matter.
CONCLUSION:
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., four (4) sealed bids were received for the Upper Bluff Water Main Improvements Project. The bid summary is as follows:
CONTRACTOR BID AMOUNT
Austin Tyler Construction, Inc., Elwood, IL $5,685,247.00
D Construction Inc., Coal City, IL $6,158,389.02*
P.T. Ferro Construction, Joliet, IL $6,601,090.41*
M&J Underground, Inc., Monee, IL withdrawn
Engineer’s Estimate $6,553,000.00
* denotes corrected amount after mathematical errors were corrected
The low bid from Austin Tyler Construction Inc., in the amount of $5,685,247.00, is 13.24% below the engineer’s estimate. Austin Tyler Construction Inc. has previously completed similar work for the City and completed this work to the City’s satisfaction.
Funds will be charged to the Water Main Replacement Fund (Org 53880000, Object 557200, $4,926,762.00), 2025 Lead Service Line Replacement (Org 53880000, Object 557200, $617,715.00), and Sewer Collection Fund (Org 50180020, Object 557200, $140,770.00).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, Staff recommends that the Mayor and City Council award the Contract for the Upper Bluff Water Main Improvements Project, in the amount of $5,685,247.00, on behalf of Austin Tyler Construction Inc.
end