TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Beth Beatty, City Manager
SUBJECT:
title
Award of Professional Services Agreement for Engineering Design Services for the Des Plaines River Tunnel Crossing Rehabilitation Project for the Water Main Replacement Program to Jacob Associates dba Delve Underground in the amount of $142,356.00
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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.
One of the projects identified as part of the water main replacement program is the Des Plaines River tunnel crossing. The Des Plaines River tunnel was constructed by tunneling through the rock below the bottom of the river and installing a concrete liner. In the tunnel are various utilities including two City water mains, telecommunication cables, and abandoned gas mains. In 2026 / 2027 the City’s water main replacement program includes the work of replacing the water mains within the tunnel due to their age and the need to install larger pipes that can provide more capacity. Before this water main replacement work can be completed within the tunnel, the structural condition of the tunnel needs to be assessed, rehabilitation work completed and abandoned utilities removed.
The City’s water main replacement design engineering firm, Baxter & Woodman Inc, partners with the engineering company, Delve Underground, to perform specialty underground tunnel rehabilitation assessment, design and construction engineering work. City Staff is familiar with Delve Underground’s qualifications through the work they have performed on the Alternative Water Source Program.
The Public Service Committee will review this matter.
CONCLUSION:
Delve Underground has submitted a proposal to assess the structural condition of the tunnel to design the needed rehabilitation work and to remove the abandoned utilities. This tunnel assessment and rehabilitation contract will be a contract directly between the City and Delve Underground, and Baxter & Woodman Inc. will be a subcontractor to Delve Underground to prepare the contract documents for the rehabilitation and removal work.
Section 2-438 of the City of Joliet Code of Ordinance states that purchases over $25,000.00 may be awarded without written specifications under certain circumstances. Two (2) of these circumstances apply:
(f) Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Mayor and City Council;
(g) Purchases of professional services.
Funds will be charged to the Water Main Replacement Fund / Professional Services (Org 53880000, Object 557200, $142,356.00).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council approve the Professional Services Agreement for the Des Plaines River Tunnel Crossing Rehabilitation Project for the Water Main Replacement Program, in the amount of $142,356.00, on behalf of Jacob Associates dba Delve Underground.
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