ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 15, 1996
Dept. File No. 1.40.96.01
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Award of Consulting Contract: Design, Cost Estimates and
Inspection Services for a New Asphalt Plant and Aggregate
Handling Facility at a North Fraser River Site.
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT a three phase Consultant Services Contract for
Preliminary and Final Design, including Cost Estimates and
Inspection Services for the construction of a new Works Yard,
be awarded to Westmar Consultants Inc. at an estimated fee of
$995,000, plus net GST. Funds for the Engineering Consulting
Services Contract are available from the Asphalt/Aggregate
Plant Reserve ($331,160) and the balance from the Truck Plant
account ($693,690).
B. THAT the Consultant be authorized to proceed with only Phase I
- Preliminary Design and Class B cost estimate, valued at
$195,000, plus net GST, and that staff report back to Council
with an updated project budget and financing plan for
approval, prior to proceeding with Phases II and III.
C. THAT the Consultant be authorized to proceed with an
"Investigation of the Feasibility of Ocean Disposal of
Construction Waste" for an additional fee of $18,749, plus net
GST. Funds for this additional study are available from Sewer
Capital, Investigation for Design Budget, Account
#11/03/0612/999.
D. THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be authorized
to enter into a Professional Services Agreement contract with
Westmar Consultants Inc., in consultation with the Director of
Legal Services.
COUNCIL POLICY
Consultant contracts over $30,000 are to be awarded by Council.
Consultant Services contracts are to be awarded on the basis of best
value.
PURPOSE
This report recommends that a three phase contract for preliminary and
final design, including cost estimates and inspection services for the
construction of the Engineering Department's new Works Yard, including a
new dock, aggregate handling, crushing/recycling and asphalt plant
facility at a site adjacent the North Fraser River, be awarded to
Westmar Consultants Inc. As additional, but related work, the
consultant be authorized to study the feasibility of ocean disposal of
construction waste materials generated by City works operations.
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BACKGROUND
The City's Cambie Yard facility has long provided aggregate handling and
asphalt plant facilities that have successfully supported the City's
operations for many years; however, the aging plant and development
pressures in the False Creek area have motivated the City to find an
alternate location for these facilities. The new Works Yard, with an
estimated cost of $13.3 million, will replace most of the Cambie Street
facility and will be located at a site near the south foot of Main
Street, adjacent the North Fraser River.
Phase I of the three phase consultant contract, requires the consultant
to provide a preliminary design and class B estimate, as approved by
Council January 16, 1996, and examine the feasibility of ocean dumping
waste materials from the City's works operations. Under Phase II, it is
planned to have final design and Class A estimates completed, including
the design, supply, and install procurement packages for the asphalt
plant, recycling/crushing plant, conveyor systems and barge ramp
facilities. General engineering and inspection services during
construction, including record services, will be provided under
Phase III. With Council s authorization, it is staff's intention that
subject to satisfactory performance, the firm retained for Phase I will
also be used to complete the project.
Approximately 450,000 tonnes of aggregate will be processed at the new
facility yearly, of which approximately 250,000 tonnes will be delivered
to the facility by barge. Approximately 100,000 tonnes per year of
asphalt will be manufactured and 200,000 tonnes per year of broken
concrete and asphalt from road works will be crushed in a recycling
operation. Other facilities at the site will include weigh scales,
materials laboratory, office facilities, and fuel storage.
Dredging will be necessary for the construction of the barge berth and
this will require appropriate permitting. As shoreline protection and
barge loading facility details are determined, the
Consultant will coordinate with City staff all permit applications and
approvals with various agencies including the Fraser River Estuary
Management Program (FREMP), Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) and
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
Engineering staff have conducted a basic analysis of the economic
benefits of ocean dumping construction waste materials generated by City
works operations. This analysis indicates a potential for significant
savings resulting from the elimination of dumping fees and decreased
trucking costs which are achieved by improved efficiencies in our work
operations. The consultant study will determine soil disposal protocol
with the required government agencies and provide a detailed cost
benefit analysis of incorporating this service at the new facility.
It is anticipated, that preliminary design and Class B estimates will
take approximately 11 weeks and final permitting will likely take an
additional 4 to 6 months. Major equipment procurement will require
another 3 to 4 months, during which time the final design details will
be completed concurrently. Site preparation and installation of
equipment will require a further 1 to 2 months. Therefore, the
estimated overall elapsed time to complete the project will be 10 to 14
months.
DISCUSSION
Further to Council s direction on January 16, 1996, staff requested
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proposals for preliminary design and class B estimate, as Phase I of the
Consultant services,for the new Works Yard. The proposal request also
included an investigative study regarding the feasibility of ocean
dumping, as a separate item. On completion of phase I, Staff will report
back to Council with an updated project budget and financing plan and
request further approval prior to proceeding with Phase II, final design
and class A estimates, and Phase III, inspection services.
Four engineering consultants were invited to submit proposals for this
work. Two of the firms combined efforts and submitted a joint proposal.
One of the firms chose not to submit a proposal based on their current
work load. The resulting two proposals were evaluated by three
independent reviewers, that followed an objective list of evaluation
criteria which fall into the major categories of: capability to carry
out work (experience of design team), management of work (scheduling,
cost control, quality control, comprehension of objectives), methodology
proposed, and quality of proposal (clarity and logic). Within each of
the major categories there are specific questions. The evaluation form
has been developed in accordance with advice from the Association of
Professional Engineers and Engineering Department policy that indicates
consultants should be selected on a best value basis.
The submitted proposals were well prepared and demonstrated that both of
the firms had the capability to successfully complete the project.
However, the proposal presented by the Westmar Consultants and
Associated Engineering team most accurately detailed the critical
issues, required tasks, estimated work hours and disbursements to
successfully complete the engineering services in accordance with the
Terms of Reference prepared by staff. Sandwell's proposal estimated a
fee of $672,119 for design services, based on 10,462 hours, for an
average rate of $64.24 per hour. Westmar's proposal estimated a fee of
$779,000 for design services, based on 12,735 hours, for an average rate
of $61.17 per hour. Staff consider Westmar's estimated hours and
disbursements are an accurate reflection of the time required to
complete this project.
A key issue in the evaluation was Westmar's demonstrated recent
experience with similar projects on the Fraser River and their ability
to successfully coordinate the complicated permitting process required
for the proposed dock and shoreline stabilization construction, that
will be key to the success of this project. Therefore, the proposal by
Westmar Consultants Inc. was considered to offer the best value to the
City by the review panel. The General Manager of Engineering Services
recommends that Westmar Consultants Inc. be awarded this contract.
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