REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 13, 2026
FROM
DON DAY, Director, Project and Facilities Management Department
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, San Bernardino County
SUBJECT
Title
Construction Contract with Builders United, LLC for the Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Acting as the governing body of San Bernardino County:
a. Approve Addendum No. 1, dated September 26, 2025, which clarified the contractors’ questions about the project bid documents for the Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects.
b. Find the bid proposal from Morillo Construction, Inc. and Archico Design Build Inc. to be nonresponsive for failing to submit a Bid Package as required in the Bid Documents.
c. Award a construction contract to Builders United, LLC, jointly with San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, in the amount of $19,446,777.33, with a construction completion date of 455 calendar days from the date of issuance of the Notice to Proceed for the Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects.
d. Approve a budget increase of $13,450,982 to Capital Improvement Program Project No.17-268, from $6,062,684 to $19,513,666.33, for the Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects (Four Votes required).
e. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary budget adjustments within the Capital Improvement Program, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
f. Authorize the Project and Facilities Management Department to order any necessary changes or additions in the work being performed under the contract for a total amount not to exceed an aggregate amount of $210,000, inclusive of any changes authorized by Recommendation 2(e), pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 20142.
g. Authorize the Director of Project and Facilities Management Department to accept the work when 100% complete and execute and file a Notice of Completion.
2. Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
a. Approve Addendum No. 1, dated September 26, 2025, which clarified contractors’ questions about the project bid documents for Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects.
b. Find the bid proposal from Morillo Construction, Inc. and Archico Design Build Inc to be nonresponsive for failing to submit a Bid Package as required in the Bid Documents.
c. Find that the specifications calling for the installation of the Westnet station alerting system, and not allowing substitution of an equal product, is acceptable under Public Contract Code section 3400(c)(2), as installation of this system is required in order to match other products in use on a particular public improvement either completed or in the course of completion.
d. Award a construction contract to Builders United, LLC, jointly with San Bernardino County, in the amount of $19,446,777.33, with a construction completion date of 455 calendar days from the date of issuance of the Notice to Proceed for the Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects.
e. Authorize the Project and Facilities Management Department to order any necessary changes or additions in the work being performed under the contract for a total amount not to exceed an aggregate amount of $210,000, inclusive of any changes authorized by Recommendation 1(f), pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 20142.
f. Authorize the Director of Project and Facilities Management Department to accept the work when 100% complete and execute and file a Notice of Completion.
g. Authorize the Fire Chief/Fire Warden or Deputy Fire Chief to accept the Westnet station alerting system when complete and sign the Acceptance Test Plan and Final System Acceptance Certificate.
(Presenter: Don Day, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
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). The Rosena Ranch Fire Station and Sheriff Substation Projects (Project) consist of a combined total budget of $23,697,282 and includes two projects: a fire station (WBSE 10.10.0320) with a project budget of $19,513,666.33 and a Sheriff’s substation (WBSE 10.10.1773) with a project budget of $4,183,616. The fire station component will be funded by the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District through (SBCFPD) its Valley Regional Service Zone budget unit (5800032434). This funding includes multiple sources, consisting of a $7,000,000 pass-through grant subaward from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, approximately $6,000,000 in special tax bond proceeds from Community Facilities District No. 2006-1 related to new development by Lennar, and the remaining $6,513,666 to be funded through the use of SPCFPD’s Valley Regional Service Zone fund balance, which may include the request for a potential match from the County’s Fires Station Replacement Reserve. Sufficient appropriation is included in SBCFPD’s 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
The Sheriff’s Department Rosena Ranch Substation (WBSE 10.10.1773) is funded by the Building Replacement Reserve in the amount of $4,183,616 as approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on March 25, 2025 (Item No. 66).
The following budget adjustments for 2025-26 are necessary to increase the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 17-268 budget:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
WBSE |
|
7700003100 |
54304030 |
Structures and Improvements to Structure |
Increase |
$13,450,982 |
10.10.0320 |
|
7700003100 |
55415017 |
Fixed Assets Transfers In |
Increase |
$13,450,982 |
10.10.0320 |
The Project is comprised of the following components:
|
Description |
Amount |
|
Project Design |
$1,730,427.00 |
|
Project Management, Inspection, and Testing |
$575,400.00 |
|
Construction |
$19,446,777.33 |
|
Construction Reserve |
$1,944,678.00 |
|
Total Project Budget |
$23,697,282.33 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SBCFPD operates Fire Station No. 2, which provides fire, emergency medical responses, and rescue services for the communities of Devore and Rosena Ranch. Due to increased development and planned growth in the area, SBCFPD requested to build a new fire station to cover the Rosena Ranch area’s projected growth and better serve the community. The new station will also include a 2,900-square-foot Sheriff’s substation. The Project directly supports the SBCFPD’s mission to provide timely and effective emergency services and Sheriff’s mission to provide for the safety, health, and social service needs of county residents. By improving response times, enhancing operational efficiency, and expanding public safety presence, the Project will strengthen the County’s overall emergency and law enforcement response capabilities and ensure continued protection for residents and businesses as the region grows.
On May 6, 2025 (Item No. 46), the Board of Directors for SBCFPD and the Board for San Bernardino County adopted the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration as well as the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan for the Project.
On July 28, 2025, Project and Facilities Management Department (PFMD) opened bids for the Project. On August 14, 2025, PFMD exercised its right to reject all bids and re-bid the project resulting from multiple bid protests where contractors challenged the validity of each other’s bid documents.
The recommendations included in this item authorize a budget adjustment to increase the fire station project budget to the amount necessary for completion, thereby allowing PFMD to proceed with construction. The project was initially established with seed funding of $6,062,684, with the understanding that the budget would be adjusted once construction bids were received and the full project costs were confirmed.
This Project calls for the installation of the Westnet station alerting system without allowing an equal substitution. Public Contract Code section 3400 allows for the omission of an equal substitution, if a specified exemption applies and the Board makes the appropriate finding. For this Project, the applicable exemption is one which allows for requiring a particular product if it is necessary in order to match other products in use on a particular public improvement either completed or in the course of completion” as stated in Public Contract Code Section 3400(c)(2). Approval of Recommendation No. 2.c will enable SBCFPD to meet this requirement.
This Project is consistent with the County Administrative Office approved Capital Improvement Program Nos. 17-268 and 25-151.
PROCUREMENT
On August 25, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer authorized PFMD, pursuant to County Policy 11-15, to advertise for competitive bids. PFMD advertised for bids in the San Bernardino County Sun, six Plan Rooms and on the County Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) via Request for Proposals No. ANE223-ANE2C-6041 on September 2, 2025. On September 9, 2025, prospective bidders attended a mandatory job walk. On September 26, 2025, Addendum No. 1 was issued, which provided responses to contractors’ questions. On October 7, 2025, the following 8 bids were received:
|
Contractor |
Location |
Bid |
|
Builders United, LLC |
Las Vegas, NV |
$19,446,777.33 |
|
Spec Construction Co, Inc. |
Ontario, CA |
$19,663,400.00 |
|
Kemcorp Construction, Inc. |
Ontario, CA |
$20,365,000.00 |
|
KYA Services, LLC |
Santa Ana, CA |
$20,390,070.00 |
|
Dalke & Sons Construction, Inc. |
Riverside, CA |
$20,680,980.00 |
|
PCN3, Inc. |
Los Alamitos, CA |
$23,511,000.00 |
|
Morillo Construction, Inc. |
Pasadena, CA |
$0 (Non-Responsive) |
|
Archico Design Build Inc. |
Santa Ana, CA |
$0 (Non-Responsive) |
Both Morillo Construction Inc. and Archico Design Build Inc. failed to submit a completed or correct Bid Package as required in the Bid Proposal and by Public Contract Code section 7106. Both were notified by certified mail that PFMD would recommend to the Board that their proposal be found non-responsive. PFMD did not receive an appeal request.
PFMD recommends the Board award the construction contract to Builders United, LLC, the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniel Pasek, Deputy County Counsel, 387- 5455) on November 24, 2025; San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (Bertral Washington, Deputy Fire Chief, 387-5974) on November 20, 2025; Sheriff (Jose Torres, Administrative Manager, 387-3465) on November 25, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on November 20, 2025; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on December 26, 2025; Project and Facilities Management (Rob Gilliam, Chief of Project Management, 387-5000) on November 20, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Ivan Ramirez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020, and Yael Verduzco, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-5285) on December 30, 2025.