Agenda Item Wording:
title
Award Stonebrook Street Culvert construction project – Authorize the City Manager to award the construction contract to Synergy Construction & Development Corp. for Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project, in the amount of $1,203,278, and authorize an additional appropriation of $690,000 from the Transportation Impact Fund 241.
body
Prepared by:
Estrella Velasquez, Associate Engineer, Estrella.Velasquez@Visalia.City,
(559)713-4164;
Diego Corvera, Senior Civil Engineer, Diego.Corvera@Visalia.City, (559)713-4209;
Chris Crawford, City Engineer, Chris.Crawford@Visalia.City, (559)713-4331;
Jason Huckleberry, Engineering & Building Director, Jason.Huckleberry@Visalia.City, (559)713-4495
Department Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to award a contract with Synergy Construction & Development Corp. for RFB 25-26-02, Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project, in the amount of $1,203,278, and authorize an additional appropriation of $690,000 from the Transportation Impact Fund 241.
Summary:
This project will install a box culvert within the Packwood Creek channel that will facilitate the future construction of Stonebrook Street southward to West Cameron Avenue. The installation of the culvert will entail constructing various structures, widening the channel upstream/downstream of the structure, grading within the channel, and placement of rock rip rap and natural fiber erosion control blankets on the channel banks.
Staff recommends awarding the construction contract to Synergy Construction & Development Corp. in the amount of $1,203,278, the lowest responsive bid, and authorizing an additional appropriation of $690,000 from the Transportation Impact Fund 241. Construction will commence when the construction contract is executed and the Packwood Creek dry season has commenced. Staff anticipates the work to be performed between October and December 2025.
Background Discussion:
The proposed project involves the installation of a culvert within Packwood Creek, located approximately 400 feet south of the W Caldwell Avenue and S Stonebrook Street intersection. The construction of the culvert crossing of Packwood Creek is a necessary component to allow for the future roadway improvements of Stonebrook Street between Caldwell Avenue and Cameron Avenue. The construction of the future Stonebrook Street roadway expansion improvements will occur with the development of the adjacent properties. The future roadway improvements of Stonebrook Street aid in the circulation of traffic as development occurs in the surrounding area.
Lars Andersen and Associates was contracted in November 2020 to perform the permitting and design of the Packwood Creek Culvert. The design of the culvert has been completed in accordance with applicable engineering standards and environmental requirements. The project team has coordinated with all relevant regulatory agencies and all required permits have been secured or are pending, including those from U.S. Army Corps, Regional Water Quality Control Board and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is anticipated that all permit items will be finalized prior to contract execution.
This culvert installation is being undertaken as a standalone phase to proactively prepare the site for the eventual road construction. Installing the culvert in advance will minimize future construction impacts to the creek and reduce environmental disruption during the development road-building phase. The project also reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to balancing infrastructure development with environmental stewardship.
Construction will be scheduled to be performed between October and December 2025 when Packwood Creek is typically in its dry season.
Bidding Process
RFB 25-26-02 for the Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project was advertised beginning July 10, 2025 and closed on August 14, 2025. This project received nine (9) bids as listed below:
|
Base Bid |
|
|
Contractor |
Location |
Bid Amount |
|
|
1 |
GC Builders |
Fresno, CA |
$1,071,064.00 |
Bid Rejected |
|
2 |
SW Construction |
Bakersfield, CA |
$1,192,724.73 |
Bid Rejected |
|
3 |
Synergy Construction & Development Corp. |
Bakersfield, CA |
$1,203,278.00 |
|
|
4 |
Sierra Construction & Excavation, Inc. |
Bakersfield, CA |
$1,207,888.00 |
|
|
5 |
DNB Infrastructure, Inc. |
Sacramento, CA |
$1,282,295.00 |
|
|
6 |
Avison Construction |
Madera, CA |
$1,513,962.00 |
|
|
7 |
Cal Valley Construction |
Fresno, CA |
$1,648,632.00 |
|
|
8 |
American Paving Co. |
Fresno, CA |
$1,722,566.00 |
|
|
9 |
Floyd Johnston Construction |
Clovis, CA |
$3,188,374.00 |
|
The first two bids were rejected due to not meeting bid requirements. The bid proposal received from Synergy Construction & Development Corp. was determined to be the lowest responsive bid. The references provided included City of Bakersfield Public Works, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). As part of the review process, these references were verified by City staff with favorable responses from all parties. As a result, staff recommends that the construction contract be awarded to Synergy Construction & Development Corp.
Fiscal Impact: The Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project is budgeted with funds from 241 Transportation Impact.
Budget Shortfall:
The project is currently facing a budget shortfall of $689,298.65. While the original Request for Proposals (RFP) included cost estimates that were consistent with the project scope at the time, rising construction costs since the RFP was awarded have widened the gap between the appropriated funds and the amount now required to complete the project. Construction expenses have escalated significantly since the project was initially estimated in 2020. Between January 2021 and January 2025, staff has observed an approximate 40% increase in labor and material costs.
Appropriation of Funds:
Staff recommends the appropriation of $690,000 from the Transportation Impact Fund (241) to address the anticipated project deficit. There are sufficient funds available in the Transportation Impact Fund (241) to advance funds to the Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project to fully fund construction.
|
Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project CP0043 |
|
Project Budget |
|
Fund 241 Transportation Impact |
$ 1,046,000 |
|
Total Budget |
$ 1,046,000 |
|
|
|
|
Estimated Project Design Costs |
|
|
Project Management/Administration |
$ 55,000.00 |
|
Design Services (Lars Andersen & Associates, Inc.) |
$ 124,730.05 |
|
Environmental Permitting (USACOE, RWQCB, CDFW) |
$ 42,635.00 |
|
|
|
|
Estimated Project Construction Costs |
|
|
Construction |
$ 1,203,278.00 |
|
Construction Contingency (~10% of Construction) |
$ 120,327.80 |
|
Construction Management and Inspections |
$ 120,327.80 |
|
Construction Services (Material Testing) |
$ 21,000.00 |
|
Construction Services (Survey Staking) |
$ 48,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Estimated Project Costs |
$ 1,735,298.65 |
|
Estimated Surplus (Deficit) |
$ (689,298.65) |
|
Additional Appropriation Request from Fund 241 |
$ 690,000.00 |
Prior Council Action:
November 16, 2020 – The City Council authorized the City Manager to award a professional design services contract with Lars Andersen and Associates, Inc., for the design of the Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project in the amount of $119,230.05.
January 16, 2024 – The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-01 adopting the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration, which found that the proposed project would have no significant environmental impacts with the identified mitigation measures applied to the project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (ref: State Clearinghouse No. 2022020164).
Other: N/A
Alternatives: None recommended. Should the construction contract not be awarded, the City may miss this year’s construction window due to seasonal limitations and environmental constraints. As a result, the project would likely be deferred to the next Packwood Creek dry season, in October 2026.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to award a contract with Synergy Construction & Development Corp. for RFB 25-26-02, Stonebrook Street Culvert at Packwood Creek Project, in the amount of $1,203,278, and appropriate an additional $690,000 from the Transportation Impact Fund (241).
Environmental Assessment Status: NEPA Environmental Assessment does not apply.
CEQA Review: Mitigated Negative Declaration (Documents No. 2023-62) filed with State Clearinghouse (2022020164) on 01/19/2024.
Deadline for Action: 9/15/2025
Attachments:
1. Contractor Ownership Disclosure Form
2. Project Location Map
3. Sample Construction Contract