REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 24, 2026
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Downing Construction, Inc. for the Arrow Route Sewer Main Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the Board Governed County Service Areas, approve Amendment No. 1 to Construction Contract No. 25-318, with Downing Construction, Inc., for the Arrow Route Sewer Main Project for the County Service Area 70 Countywide, to address design changes and escalation in material and labor cost that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time of contracting, increasing the total contract amount by $283,922.45 from $7,921,118 to $8,205,040.45, and extending the contract term from 330 calendar days to 333 calendar days from issuance of the Notice to Proceed (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). On February 11, 2025 (Item No. 48), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an allocation from the Discretionary General Fund to fund the Arrow Route Sewer Main Project (Project) in the amount of $11,363,597, which was funded by General Fund Contingencies. Amendment No. 1 to Downing Construction, Inc., Contract No. 25-318 (Contract), for the Project will be funded by available appropriations remaining for the Project. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the County Service Area 70 Countywide (CSA) Capital Improvement Program’s (CIP) 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets as needed.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Arrow Route is a part of the County Maintained Road System in the unincorporated Fontana Community (Community), which is adjacent to the City of Fontana (City). The surrounding parcels are served by the City’s sewer system. However, the existing Community in the unincorporated area is currently relying on septic systems due to a lack of City sewer infrastructure. The proposed Project is needed to allow for future tie-ins of approximately 270 parcels in the Community into the City’s existing sewer system.
On May 20, 2025, (Item No. 105), the Board awarded Contract 25-318 to Downing Construction, Inc. in the amount of $7,921,118 with a construction completion date of 330 calendar days from the date the Department issued the Contractor a Notice to Proceed.
Following the award of the construction contract, continued coordination with the City resulted in notification to the Department that the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) required formal review and approval of the project design prior to the start of construction. IEUA’s review required design modifications that the Department has now successfully completed, and all necessary clearances have been secured, allowing construction activities to move forward. The amendment amount reflects the design changes including the addition of a monitoring manhole and the upsizing of 3,864 linear feet of pipe. It also accounts for escalation in material and labor costs resulting from prevailing wage determinations issued by the Department of Industrial Relations during the period between the original contract award date and the construction Notice to Proceed date. Because Amendment No. 1 modifies the terms of the construction contract previously approved by the Board, approval requires a four-fifths vote pursuant to Public Contract Code section 20128.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 24, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Dalton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5005) on March 5, 2026.