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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Ian Wade, Capital Projects Manager
DATE: August 22, 2023
SUBJECT:
A resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to increase an existing Purchase Order with Rubino Engineering, Inc., 425 Shepard Drive, Elgin, IL 60123 to an amount not to exceed $80,000 to provide professional foundation materials testing services for the Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility project.
PURPOSE:
To increase an existing Purchase Order with Rubino Engineering, Inc., 425 Shepard Drive, Elgin, IL 60123 to an amount not to exceed $80,000 to provide professional foundation materials testing services for the Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility project
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department is looking to consolidate the personnel and equipment from a handful of maintenance divisions (Electrical, Streets, Fleet, Water & Sewer, and Water Meter Maintenance) into a new, combined maintenance facility on a 25.4-acre city-owned parcel near Liberty and New York Streets.
Beginning in late 2019, as part of the preliminary design of this project, Rubino Engineering was selected in late 2021 to provide Geotechnical testing and analysis of the onsite soils, including recommendations for how to prepare the site for the proposed development.
DISCUSSION:
Providing these recommendations made Rubino the logical and best choice to subsequently provide observation and materials testing (professional) services during the soon to be completed sitework and mass grading of the site. Since the frequency of site visits (and subsequent cost of professional services) was heavily dependent upon the pace of the contractor and conditions onsite, determining a precise budget was not feasible. Therefore, an initial Purchase Order for materials testing services was opened for $25,000 and subsequently increased to an amount not to exceed $50,000 once it was warranted. As of the date of the latest invoice (July 19, 2023), Rubino has provided $35,527.75 in materials testing services.
Since the completion of site work and the upcoming commencement of foundation construction for the primary building will overlap, it was determined that the City will see a cost savings by using Rubino to observe and test the foundations (verify soil bearing, rebar, and test/sample concrete) since they will already be onsite finishing the sitework materials testing for which they are under contract. In addition to the cost savings of not having multiple testing consultants onsite at the same time, utilizing Rubino for foundations materials testing is also advantageous since Rubino's previous involvement with these soils onsite makes them uniquely familiar with the site and qualified to verify soil bearing.
It is worth noting that all above ground Structural Special Inspections required for this project (including structural steel, masonry, etc.) will be provided by a separate firm to be selected through a Qualifications-Based Selection process currently underway. Rubino Engineering does not provide Special Inspection services.
This contract in the amount not to exceed $80,000 will be paid using account number 354-4010-417.72-01 (Capital Outlay-Bldg Purch/Cost of Building/GO Bonds) (C114), which has a remaining 2023 budget of $2,055,874.25.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Not conducting foundation materials testing jeopardizes the structural integrity of this new facility and Rubino is uniquely familiar with the site and qualified to provide these services.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request the proposed resolution be adopted.
cc: Infrastructure & Technology Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to increase an existing Purchase Order with Rubino Engineering, Inc., 425 Shepard Drive, Elgin, IL 60123 to an amount not to exceed $80,000 to provide professional foundation materials testing services for the Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility project
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, Rubino Engineering is the Geotechnical Engineer of Record for the City's Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility Project; and
WHEREAS, Rubino was subsequently selected to provide professional materials testing services based on the recommendations provided in their Geotechnical Report; and
WHEREAS, the scope of Rubino's services is to be increased to include professional foundation materials testing services for the primary building; and
WHEREAS, the total cost of services to be provided by Rubino will now be an amount not to exceed $80,000; and
WHEREAS, funds will be provided from account number 354-4010-417.72-01 (Capital Outlay-Bldg Purch/Cost of Building/GO Bonds) (C114), which has a remaining 2023 budget of $2,055,874.25; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the Director of Purchasing is authorized to increase an existing Purchase Order with Rubino Engineering, Inc., 425 Shepard Drive, Elgin, IL 60123 to an amount not to exceed $80,000 to provide professional foundation materials testing services for the Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility project.