REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 24, 2022
FROM
DON DAY, Director, Project and Facilities Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Advertise for Competitive Bids for the 800 MHz Antenna Generator Projects - Sites Leased through American Tower Corporation - Sandy, Padua, and Mountain Pass
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Find that the 800 MHz Sandy - New Generator project, located in a remote location within San Bernardino County, is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15303, Class 3 Subsection (d) New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures relative to electrical improvements.
2. Find that the 800MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project, located in a remote location within Los Angeles County, is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15303, Class 3 Subsection (d) New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures relative to electrical improvements.
3. Find that the 800MHz Mountain Pass - New Generator project, located in a remote location within San Bernardino County, is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15303, Class 3 Subsection (d) New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures relative to electrical improvements.
4. Approve plans and specifications for the 800 MHz Sandy - New Generator project, the 800MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project and the 800MHz Mountain Pass - New Generator project.
5. Authorize the Director of the Project and Facilities Management Department to advertise for competitive bids for the 800 MHz Sandy - New Generator project, the 800MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project and the 800MHz Mountain Pass - New Generator project under one bid package.
6. Direct the Clerk of the Board to file and post the Notices of Exemption for the 800 MHz Sandy - New Generator project, the 800MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project and the 800MHz Mountain Pass - New Generator project as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
(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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the bid documents and the solicitation of competitive bids will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The 800MHz Sandy - New Generator project (WBSE 10.10.0990) budget of $573,680, 800MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project (WBSE 10.10.0992) budget of $566,627 and 800MHz Mountain Pass - New Generator project (WBSE 10.10.0998) budget of $583,174, for a combined project budget of $1,723,481 is funded with Discretionary General Funding that was included in the overall budget for the 800 MHz Radio Replacement Project, approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) as part of the 2011-12 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Approval of this item will allow the Project and Facilities Management Department (PFMD) to solicit three projects for competitive bids under one bid package for the 800 MHz Antenna Upgrade Program. The three projects are, Mountain Pass - New Generator project (Mountain Pass), 800 MHz Sandy - New Generator project (Sandy) located at various remote locations within San Bernardino County, CA, and the 800 MHz Padua - Replacement Generator project (Padua) located in Los Angeles County, CA. The Mountain Pass and Padua projects include replacement of existing obsolete generators with new, more efficient diesel generators, new belly tanks, new automatic transfer switches (ATS), new manual transfer switches with integrated cam locks, and minor electrical work. At the Sandy project site, the scope of work includes installation of a new, efficient diesel generator with enhanced enclosures, new belly tank, new ATS, new manual transfer switches with integrated cam locks, and minor electrical work. Critical facilities and emergency systems need continuous back-up power, which is successfully provided by these emergency generators. Although solar panels are a source of power, they do not provide the required power at night or during cloudy days to properly support the continuous power requirements the facilities need. The capital improvements to Sandy, Padua and Mountain Pass will provide reliable, cost-effective emergency back-up electrical power during power outages to support the signal transmission from the site to multiple first responders.
The Sandy, Padua, and Mountain Pass projects (Projects) are being performed on existing sites leased and/or otherwise under use by San Bernardino County (County) for the past several years to facilitate the County communications system. Originally, these sites were selected due to the County not owning sites that would satisfy the antennas’ high-altitude requirement to provide line of sight without obstructions between various 800 MHz antenna sites. The sites are currently subject to existing long-term lease and/or other use agreements.
PFMD recommends the Board find the Sandy, Padua, and Mountain Pass projects (Projects) to be categorically exempt from further review under Section 15303, Class 3 Subsection (d) New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures relative to electrical improvements, of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (CEQA) (Title 14, California Code of Regulations). As evidenced by the Notices of Exemption, Section 15303 provides categorical exemption for projects involving construction or installation of small facilities or structures, installation of small new equipment and structures, and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. All work involved in the Projects is consistent with the Class 3 exemption and will not have a significant environmental impact.
PROCUREMENT
For purposes of procurement, the projects referenced in this Board Agenda Item are collectively referred to as the 800 MHz Antenna Generator Projects - Sites Leased through American Tower Corporation - Sandy, Padua and Mountain Pass (Project). PFMD will advertise for competitive bids for the Project on May 27, 2022. A mandatory pre-bid meeting for prospective bidders is scheduled to be conducted on June 16, 2022 and June 21, 2022 at the various Project sites. The pre-bid walk will initiate as described in the bid documents.
The bid opening for the Project is scheduled for July 7, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at PFMD.
Pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 22032 and 22039, the Board shall adopt plans, specifications, and working details for public projects exceeding $200,000. Plans and specifications are on file with the Clerk of the Board.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Katherine Hardy, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 12, 2022; Innovation and Technology Department (Tim Trager, Division Chief, 388-5563) on April 25, 2022; Purchasing Department (Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyer, 387-2148) on April 19, 2022; Project and Facilities Management Department (Don Day, Director, 387-5000) on May 2, 2022; Finance (Yael Verduzco, Administrative Analyst, 387-5285) on May 5, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Diana Atkeson, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-4376) on May 6, 2022.
(EG: 329-0165)