Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Award of Contract - Seismic Upgrading of Burrard Bridge (Bent 24)

 

RECOMMENDATION

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Construction contracts more than $300,000 are to be awarded by Council.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council approval to award Contract No. 2000-08 for the construction of the seismic upgrading of Burrard Bridge (Bent 24).

BACKGROUND

A program to improve the performance of the Granville and Burrard bridges and the Grandview Viaduct during a major earthquake has been undertaken during the 1990's. All phases of the seismic upgrading of the Granville Bridge have been completed as of 1996. The Grandview Viaduct received upgrading in 1991. On the Burrard Bridge, the steel truss spans have been strengthened and new improved bearings have been installed. The only seismic work remaining is the strengthening of the concrete approach spans of the Burrard Bridge. The work consists of the strengthening of the seven sets of expansion piers (bents) which are every third bent of the bridge.

In 1995, the engineering consultant for the seismic upgrading work, Buckland & Taylor Ltd. provided the detailed design and drawings for the upgrading of the seven bents. This work was deferred to a future Capital Plan in the interest of completing all the upgrading of the Granville Bridge to ensure that at least this bridge would be serviceable within a short time following an earthquake.

Of the seven bents requiring upgrading, there is only one set of piers (Bent 24) on the north side of False Creek, north of Beach Avenue. All the others are on the south side of False Creek. It was decided that this one set of piers (Bent 24) be upgraded ahead of the remaining bents on the south side because it would be more efficient and prudent to do this work now prior to the opening of the new Beach Avenue Daycare facility planned for the site adjacent to the bridge. The Daycare facility is planned to be constructed between October 2000 and April 2001.

The required strengthening work consists of PCB testing and clean-up, the installation of a new concrete footing tieing in the three pier columns, concrete encasement of the columns and the crossbeam, and the installation of lateral restraints and longitudinal restrainers.

Buckland & Taylor has been engaged to update the design and drawings and to provide a preliminary cost estimate.

CONSTRUCTION TENDERS

A “Notice to Contractors” tender advertisement was placed in the July 17th, 2000 Journal of Commerce, and tender notices were placed with the BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association and the Vancouver Regional Construction Association. Fourteen companies requested and received the Tender Documents and Drawings.

Tenders for Contract No. 2000-08 for the seismic upgrading of Burrard Bridge (Bent 24) were opened on Wednesday, August 9, 2000 and referred to the General Manager of Engineering Services for tabulation. All tenders have been checked for completeness and accuracy. A tabulation of the total lump sum tender prices, not including GST, is shown below with the lowest tender underlined.

This is a lump sum contract with unit prices for additions and deletions. Each Contractor has submitted a total lump sum tender price for all work under the contract. Also, as requested, the Contractors have submitted a breakdown in the lump sum prices which will be used for computation of interim payments. The final cost of the contract may vary as a result of any additions and deletions, and extra or “force account” work if required.

The tender submitted by the low bidder, B.G.M. Construction Ltd., is in accordance with the specifications in the contract documents and is deemed reasonable. The Contractor hasprovided an acceptable construction schedule. This company has several years experience in related construction work, and their qualifications are considered adequate for this contract.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Prior to tendering, the total project budget estimate was $500,000, including a construction cost estimate of $400,000 plus contingency, GST, overhead and $20,000 for consulting fees. The low bid for construction at $511,785 is larger then the preliminary estimate of $400,000 but the tender has been reviewed and the low bid has been deemed reasonable.

In retrospect, the original construction cost estimate did not fully account for the complexity and accelerated construction scheduled required for this project.

The new budget for this project is $650,000, including the construction cost of $511,785, contingency, GST, overhead and $20,000 for consulting fees.

Funding of $500,000 including $43,000 from the Property Endowment Fund was previously approved by Council on May 5, 1999 and is available in Streets Basic Capital Accounts 10006453 to 10006458. The additional funding of $150,000 needed due to the higher than anticipated tender price can be provided from Streets Basic Capital Account 10000446 which are surplus funds from the Granville Bridge Phase III Seismic Upgrading that have been earmarked for this work.

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