Title
Approval of a New Mexico Department of Transportation Aviation Project Grant Agreement in the Amount of $1,900,000 and Task Order No. 5 under Services Agreement No. AGR15-4223 with WSP USA, Inc. in the Amount of $243,785.96 plus Applicable Gross Receipts Tax for Project Management Services for the Airport Fuel Farm Project
Recommended Action
I move that Council Approve a New Mexico Department of Transportation Aviation Project Grant agreement in the Amount of $1,900,000 and Task Order No. 5 under Services Agreement No. AGR15-4223 with WSP USA, Inc. in the Amount of $243,785.96 plus Applicable Gross Receipts Tax for Project Management Services for the Airport Fuel Farm Project.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approve the motion as presented.
Body
On April 29, 2022, the New Mexico Department of Transportation Aviation Division announced their intent to award Los Alamos County $1,900,000 for the Airport Fuel Farm Project through additional funding provided to the Aviation Division from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The grant agreement was received and requires no County matching funds. See Attachments A and B.
The Airport Fuel Farm Project is a project included in the 2013 LAM Airport Master Plan. Project design has been completed by WSP USA, Inc. through an on-call engineering services task order. The design includes the construction and installation of two 12,000-gallon above ground steel double-walled fuel storage tanks for aviation jet fuel and aviation gasoline and all necessary site work, traffic control management, utility infrastructure and connections, storm water management, spill containment and emergency shut-offs. The fuel farm will be located on the north side of the Airport property on the concrete apron east of the Airport terminal building. This location offers a convenient location to pilots while improving safety as it will be further away from the runway and nearby roadways than the current fueling facility. Once the fuel farm is commissioned and operational, the temporary fuel storage tanks that serve Classic Air Medical at the south side of the Airport near NM 502 will also be removed. Currently, jet fuel sales are not available at the Airport and the completion of this project will provide a self-service point-of-sale fuel dispensing system for both jet fuel and aviation gasoline. Adding jet fuel service will contribute to the self-sufficiency of the Airport and will be especially important for future emergency situations such as forest fires. Additionally, this service may improve visitation to the Los Alamos area and help make the airport more viable for any future airline service.
As WSP USA, Inc. is the engineer of record for the project, Task Order No. 5 (Attachment C) will provide continued project management services through the bidding and construction phase. Bidding support services include participating in the bidding process by attending the pre-bid conference, responding to bidder questions, issuing addendums, bid review and evaluation. Services also include construction management, administration, and oversight including regular on-site inspections, materials testing, shop drawing and contractor submittal reviews, responding to and providing supplemental information to contractor requests for information, evaluate change order requests, providing design or analysis of proposed design changes, commissioning of mechanical equipment to ensure proper operation, and providing record drawings to the County at the conclusion of construction.
If this task order is approved, completion of bid documents and an advertisement for construction bids will follow in July 2022. In accordance with County code and the agreement, all task orders exceeding $200,000 requires Council approval. Excluding this task order there is $285,821.55 plus NMGRT remaining within the $750,000 overall contract cap.
Alternatives
Council could choose to not approve the grant agreement with the potential of losing grant funds. Council could choose to not approve the task order and require staff solicit project management services through a Request for Proposals (RFP) which will delay the advertisement for construction bids.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
The FY2023 adopted budget includes $1,900,000 in the Airport Capital Grants Fund for the project. The grant requires no County matching funds. Construction and related project management services are eligible expenses for reimbursement under the grant.
The Public Works Department will oversee the contract work and administer the grant in cooperation with the County's Finance Division.
Attachments
A - NMDOT Aviation Division Airport Project Grant Agreement
B - Grant Analysis and Financial Matrix Form
C - Task Order 5 - AGR15-4223