The City of Sparks has nearly 10,000 sanitary sewer manholes as part of the sewer collection system.  Occasionally, manholes will deteriorate and require rehabilitation.  Annual inspections have revealed that manhole deterioration has led to groundwater infiltration in approximately 200 sanitary sewer manholes, primarily located in northern Sparks where high groundwater is common. 

This contract is for the construction administration, testing, and inspection for the sanitary sewer manhole rehab project.  Ensuring that proper manhole rehabilitation is provided by the contractor is essential.  The tester/inspector will perform confined space entry, alternating with the contractor during the rehab process to ensure a complete finished product.

The testing and inspection of the Sanitary Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation Project is a specialized field.  Staff determined the best way of ensuring the contractor provides a finished product that meets specification and will last the required service life was to augment the construction administration, testing and inspection with a consultant specializing in this type of rehabilitation work.  Brown and Caldwell has managed similar manhole rehabilitation projects in the Truckee Meadows in recent years.

Testing and inspection are an integral part to a manhole rehabilitation project because of confined space entry inside of the manhole to adequately inspect the work and test the material applied.  Staff feels that the benefit from leveraging the knowledge and expertise of Brown and Caldwell justifies the increase in cost associated with this scope of work. 

Brown and Caldwell’s proposal for construction administration, testing and inspection is $169,950.

1. Council could approve the contract as outlined by Staff.
2. Council could reject the contract and provide direction to the City Manager.

I move to approve professional services contract (AC-5665) for the Sanitary Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation Project, with Brown and Caldwell, for construction administration, testing and inspection in the amount of $169,950.