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)

Weiss Construction Low Bidder on PC-776 Project

Earlier today, Weiss Construction submitted the lowest bid for the PC-776 project. Weiss beat out 7 other bidders for the project with a low bid of $25,312,000. Weiss' bid was $182,000 lower than the Engineer's Estimate for this project, which involves replacement of 25 pumps at Detroit's main waste treatment plant at 9300 W. Jefferson, and related electrical work. 

Weiss --------- $ 25,312,000
Walsh --------- $ 25,550,771
Lakeshore ---- $ 25,972,000
Walbridge ---- $ 26,360,000
Tooles -------- $ 26,420,104
DeMaria ----- $ 26,892,000
White -------- $ 28,145,000
DCI ---------- $ 28,626,000

Contract PC-776 involves providing new power supply cable to and from the secondary clarifiers and substation MCCs, providing new MCCs at each secondary clarifier, providing short-circuit analysis and fault rating, providing detailed hydraulic analysis and sizing of the pumps related to secondary clarifiers RAS pumping, providing 25 RAS pumps at the secondary clarifiers and completing all miscellaneous electrical work such as replacement of cables, conduit, pull boxes, panels and junction boxes.