REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 20, 2025
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc., for Construction Management Services for the Bridge Replacement on National Trail Highway at 10 Bridges Project in the Unincorporated Areas of Amboy and Essex.
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Award Contract to Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc., to provide construction management services for the Bridge Replacement on National Trail Highway at 10 Bridges Project, in the Unincorporated Areas of Amboy and Essex, in an amount not to exceed $2,943,813.61, for the period of May 20, 2025 through May 19, 2030, or until completion of the project, whichever occurs first.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
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). The National Trail Highway (NTH) at 10 Bridges Project in the Unincorporated Areas of Amboy and Essex (Project) is financed by Federal Highway Bridge Planning funds (88.53%) and Discretionary General Funds (11.47%), allocated to the Department of Public Works (Department) in 2014-15 through 2016-17, 2018-19, and 2024-25 budgets. Sufficient revenue and appropriation are included in the Department’s 2024-25 Road Operations budget (6650002000 H14853, H14910-H14918) and will be included in future recommended budgets as necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Project involves the removal and replacement of 10 bridges along NTH, also known as U.S. Route 66, from east of Crucero Road to west of Mountain Springs Road in the Amboy area. The bridges being replaced include Bristol Ditch Bridge, Cerro Ditch Bridge, Gordo Ditch Bridge, Cerulia Ditch Bridge, Leith Ditch Bridge, Terra Ditch Bridge, Sombra Ditch Bridge, Beacon Ditch Bridge, Larissa Ditch Bridge, and Adena Ditch Bridge. The new structures will be concrete slab bridges supported by diaphragm abutments on both spread footings and piles, with some bridges incorporating piers within the channel. Additionally, the Project includes reconstructing roadway approaches, installing metal beam guardrails, and improving drainage.
To ensure the Project is completed in compliance with contract requirements and without unnecessary delays, a contract for construction management services is necessary. These services will oversee project execution, coordinate construction activities, and provide quality assurance, ensuring the timely and efficient completion of the bridge replacements.
Following a competitive procurement process, Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. (SEC), was selected to provide construction management services for the Project. The SEC management team will be composed of a Resident Engineer, Senior Roadway/Structures Inspector, Structural Representative, Office Engineer, and Labor Compliance with support as needed from their Project Manager, and other technical experts. The SEC team is also assisted by their subconsultants in quality assurance, claim avoidance, surveying, environmental compliance, and inspections (source, electrical, and structural).
Under the contract, SEC will provide a comprehensive range of services, including, but not limited to, construction management, bidding support, materials testing, inspections, survey staking, and environmental monitoring.
The contract is structured on an hourly rate basis for personnel providing services, along with reimbursement for direct project-related costs. The total contract amount will be based on the actual hours worked and necessary direct expenses, in an amount not to exceed $2,943,813.61.
PROCUREMENT
Request for Proposals (RFP) No. PWG125-LANDD-5704 was approved and released through the Purchasing Department on January 9, 2025, to solicit proposals from interested and qualified agencies to provide construction management services for up to five years or until Project completion, whichever occurs first. The RFP was posted to the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro).
Five proposals were received by the response deadline. Proposals from the first four agencies listed below met the minimum requirements and continued through the evaluation process.
|
Consultants |
Location |
|
Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. |
Riverside, CA |
|
TRC Engineers, Inc. |
Riverside, CA |
|
T.Y. Lin International |
Ontario, CA |
|
Fountain Head |
Fontana, CA |
|
3D Built (non-responsive) |
Los Angeles, CA |
The evaluation panel, composed of Department representatives, reviewed and scored the proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP. The proposal from 3D Built was deemed non-responsive because 3D Built failed to provide signed addenda as required by the instructions to bidders. The remaining four firms submitted responsive proposals. The panel reviewed these proposals based upon the criteria stated in the RFP, which included: qualifications and experience, experience with similar kinds of work, quality of staff for work to be done, familiarity with state and federal procedures, financial responsibility, and demonstrated technical ability.
Following the evaluation process, the panel recommended awarding the construction management contract to SEC. Award and denial letters were issued to all responsive proposers on May 07, 2025. No bid protests were received. The Department recommends awarding a contract to SEC, as the highest ranked proposal, to provide construction management services for the Bridge Replacement on National Trail Highway at 10 Bridges Project.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 2, 2025; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on April 2, 2025; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on April 17, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 8, 2025.