The last of the bids has been accepted and the Mona sewer project, barring any objections from the state, is ready to proceed.
Archer Western Contractors won the bid for the city wastewater treatment plant.
The bid was reviewed just the morning of the council's Tuesday meeting and so it was the first any of the council had seen the winning bid and the first time the council had an opportunity to vote for its acceptance.
"The guaranteed maximum price for the city of Mona wastewater treatment plans scope of work is for $9,800,000," said Travis Higby, P.E.
Water/Wastewater Engineer with Forsgren Associates. "A line item in the schedule of values of $324,067 for contingency, has been included."
Higby said that the city also needed to note that as a contingency money had been built in to cover modifications to the project scope of work. However, all modifications will be priced and all applicable mark-ups will be applied to the cost of the work.
It is anticipated that the contract will be issued within the next three weeks, loan closing with the state will occur within the next five weeks and a "Notice to Proceed" will be issued within the next six weeks.
Disruptions to the schedule could incur some cost impacts to the project for material and process equipment.
Forsgren is an employee owned, multi-discipline engineering and construction management firm and they are overseeing the sewer construction project for the city of Mona.
"A preclosing conference will be set up by DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) where the bonding lawyers will also be present," he said.
"All of the easements from private ownership have now been settled," said Higby. "The exception on the easements needed is that held by Current Creek Water Users."
He understood that the lawyers from both sides were now in agreement but the final document still needed to be signed and finalized.
Higby has over eight years of practical experience with water, wastewater treatment and industrial equipment and has been involved on project teams for the design and retrofit of water treatment plants and the expansion of wastewater treatment facilities and collection lines. He has managed design for numerous wastewater treatment plants ranging from aerated lagoons, to biological nutrient removal plants, to state-of-the-art membrane bioreactors.
The Department of Environmental Quality is over these types of projects, he said. In fact, they are the governing agency for the project.
"The EIS (Environmental Impact Study) reports are now part of the Facility Planning Study," he said.
The good news is that there were no environmental problems encountered as part of the EIS.
"The project is not disturbing any wet lands, for example," Higby said. "In fact, the project received a finding of no significant impact."
Two studies were needed in order to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), said Higby.
NEPA sets up procedural requirements for all federal government agencies to prepare Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs). A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is a document presents the reasons why an action will not have a significant effect on the environment.
"The FONSI for the project was recorded on September 4," he said.
The good news for the project is that the bids had all come in so that the project was in budget.
"That means that, three years ago, when we made our estimates of costs, we guessed right," said Higby.
The one unknown, at present, would be the charge of the bond attorney.
There is one problem, said Higby. Condie Construction Co., general contractors based in Springville, the low bidder on the sewer collection system installation in Mona, had agreed to a 90-day stipulation.
"I don't think we are going to make the 90-day stipulation," said Higby. "I think, in preliminary discussions, however, that it will not be a problem and they will still be willing to do the work for the $4 million."
The two contracts, at present, call for a closing date of October 7. By that date all lawyers must have their final review complete, the council will also need to review the contracts.
"I think Condie will be willing to amend their contract," said Higby.