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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Robert Leible, Superintendent of Water Production
DATE: February 9, 2026
SUBJECT:
A resolution to award a contract to Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc., for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project in the amount of $1,861,150.00 for the Water Production Division (WPD).
PURPOSE:
To obtain City Council approval to award a contract to Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc., Chicago, IL, for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project in the amount of $1,861,150.00.
BACKGROUND:
The Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank (Church Road), located at 2680 Church Road (Ward 1) is a welded steel, fluted column tank design with a storage volume of 1,500,000 gallons of water. Church Road was placed into service in 1976. The tank underwent its first rehabilitation in 2001, following 25 years of in-service time.
As part of the WPD's regular tank inspection program, Church Road underwent a professional, independent, comprehensive inspection in 2020. The findings of that inspection recommended that full recoating and ancillary repairs are now due and should be completed. CIP I054 was submitted in anticipation of the necessity for this project in the current timeframe. The timing of the 2026 proposed work corresponds nicely with the 25-year lifetime that can be expected of steel tank coatings.
The WPD previously hired Engineering Enterprises Inc., (EEI) to perform the necessary professional services for design, construction observation, and project administration as the engineer of record.
DISCUSSION:
The project to perform the subject work was publicly advertised on December 19, 2025 (Bid No. 25-221) and bids were opened on January 21, 2026. Three (3) bids were received and the bid tabulation is attached.
The bids received including allowances are $1,861,150, $2,067,035, and $2,599,985. The Engineer's Opinion of Probable Construction Cost provided by EEI is $2,912,335. The difference of the two lowest bids is $205,885 or 11% of the lowest bid amount, reflecting a competitive process. A letter of recommendation from EEI to award this project to Era-Valdivia is attached and the WPD concurs with this recommendation. In addition, Era-Valdivia previously completed a significant project with a similar scope for the Indian Trail Elevated Water Storage Tank in 2014.
Budgetary funding for this project is approved via CIP I054 and is available in the 2026 budget in account 510-4058-511-73-05. Section 2-408, Local Preference in Purchasing and Contracting did apply to this bid but did not impact the final bid results.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
None.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Request committee and city council approval of a resolution authorizing a contract award to Era-Valdivia in the amount of $1,861,150.00 for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project.
cc: Infrastructure & Technology Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution to award a contract to Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc., for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project in the amount of $1,861,150.00 for the Water Production Division.
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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, the Water Production Division seeks to complete a rehabilitation project of the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank as recommended by the 2020 comprehensive inspection/report; and
WHEREAS, the project was publicly advertised (Bid No. 25-221) and bids were opened on January 21, 2026, for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project; and
WHEREAS, Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc., 11909 S Avenue O, Chicago, IL 60617, is the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder in the amount of $1,861,150.00; and
WHEREAS, budgetary authority for this project is approved via CIP I054 and funding is available in the 2026 budget in account 510-4058-511-73-05;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the Director of Purchasing be and is hereby authorized to execute a contract and issue a purchase order in the amount of $1,861,150.00 to Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc., for the Church Road Elevated Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation project.