Weiss Construction Nets More Than $59 Million in New Contracts, Change Order Work with DWSD

Weiss Construction Co., LLC (Detroit) was awarded two contracts, and a change order  totaling more than $59 million. These contracts were approved by the Board of Water Commissioners earlier this afternoon at its regularly scheduled meeting. 

• PC-783 (U/G Electrical Ductbank Repair) . . . $27,620,000
• PC-787 (Replacement of Belt Filter Presses) . . .  $30,216,000

But wait, there's more . . . 

Weiss Construction also received approval for a not-to-exceed (NTE) $1.25 million change order to Contract PC-776 ("RAS Pumps, Influent Mixed Liquor System and MCC Improvement for Secondary Clarifiers"). Based on questions by the Board and answers by Assistant Director Sam Smalley and Deputy Director Darryl Latimer, this change order is to replenish a provisional allowance that was spent by DWSD on other, unrelated contracts for sudden, unexpected needs.   

In other contract news:

• The Board removed from the Agenda a proposed $14,650,467 contract for Detroit Radio Team for design-build services related to DWS-882, “SCADA Radio Network Upgrades.” Detroit Radio Team is a joint venture between Motor City Electric and PCI. The Chair did not explain why this contract was removed from the Agenda.  
• The Board also removed from the Agenda a $500,000 legal services contract (LS-1530) for Miller Canfield. Again, no explanation.
• The Board did approve a $298,386 increase, and a 24 month extension for Camp Dresser & McKee (CDM) for Contract CS-1364 ("Oakwood CSO Control Facility and Pump Station").
• The Board also approved a $5,724,850 design/build contract with Detroit Electrical Services, LLC for Contract No. DWS-881 ("Data Center Reliability/Availability Improvements") 
• Regarding the Biosolids contract (PC-781), the Director indicated during her oral report that DWSD is going to cancel this RFP. The Department plans to host a symposium in Detroit and will discuss various ideas/technologies with experts and then come out with a more comprehensive and well-defined RFP.  The Director encouraged Board members to participate in the symposium (either through committees or assignment or personally). Stay tuned for more details (when and where) 

For more about DWSD Update, click here.


Clarification (2/23): Several of you wrote me asking whether I was suggesting that the contracts awarded to Weiss Construction were excessive or unnecessary (ie., "pork").  No, that's not the case.  I was in the BFP Complex II a couple of years ago, and can attest first hand to the need for new belt filter presses. The picture of bacon was a reference to "bringing home the bacon" and intended to be congratulatory.   


Photo credit (here)

Oakwood Pump Station and CSO Basin Project Profiled

The Oakwood Pump Station and CSO Basin Project was recently profiled in the April 20, 2009 edition of Michigan Contractor and Builder:

"A pump station and a 9-million-gallon combined sewer overflow (CSO) basin are being constructed in Southwest Detroit, MI, in order to eliminate sewer overflows during heavy rain events in the area. L. D'Agostini & Sons, Inc./Lakeshore Engineering Services, Inc. Joint Venture is the general contractor. The work is being done for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). The $154-million project began in the fall of 2007 and it will be completed in the summer of 2011.

"The combined storm and sanitary sewer water will be pumped from the pump station. The project includes six 72-inch pumps and two 54-inch pumps that discharge the water into 72-inch and 54-inch steel pipes. The water will then be treated and proceed through a series of screens to remove solids. The water is then stored in the CSO basin. As the rain event ends and the water flow is reduced, the water is released into the sewer and sent to the treatment plant. The work is part of a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) effort to clean the Rouge River.

* * *

"Subcontractors for the project include Barton Malow Concrete, of Oak Park, MI; De-Cal, Inc., of Warren, MI (mechanical); Shaw Electric, of Livonia, MI; and K&S Piling (pile driving). The engineering firm for the project is CDM, of Detroit."

Click here for the rest of the story.