FROM: Robert Thompson, General Manager
Originator: Riaz Moinuddin, Director of Operations & Maintenance
SUBJECT:
title
MANHOLE FRAME AND COVER REPLACEMENT SERVICES, SPECIFICATION NO. S-2026-729BD
end
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
A. Approve a General Services Contract to Ayala Engineering, Inc. to provide Manhole Frame and Cover Replacement Services, Specification No. S-2026-729BD, for a total amount not to exceed $1,260,350 for the period beginning November 1, 2026, through October 31, 2027, with four (4) one-year renewal options; and
B. Approve an annual contingency of $126,035 (10%).
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BACKGROUND
The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) owns approximately 4,483 manholes throughout Orange County. Occasionally, manholes need repair or replacement due to corrosion, traffic-related wear, settlement, aging, or street repaving. Public safety requires worn manhole frames and covers to be repaired in a timely manner. In addition, when street repaving occurs, OC San is required to reset its manhole frames and covers to match the new street elevation.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Operate and maintain facilities to minimize impacts on surrounding communities, including odor, noise, and lighting
• Protect OC San assets
• Commitment to safety & reducing risk in all operations
PROBLEM
The current Manhole Frame and Cover Replacement Services contract expires on October 31, 2026. Without a replacement contract, OC San would not have an efficient contracting mechanism to address deficient frames and covers.
The existing contract supports the repair or replacement of more than 100 manhole frames and covers annually. Deficiencies are identified through reports from members of the public and city partners, as well as inspections by OC San Engineering and field staff.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Approve a General Services Contract with Ayala Engineering, Inc. to continue timely adjustment, repair, and replacement of manhole frames and covers.
TIMING CONCERNS
The current General Services Contract expires on October 31, 2026. Approval of the new contract is necessary to ensure continuity of manhole repairs and replacements.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
Without a contract in place, necessary repairs could be delayed, increasing risks to public safety and OC San assets. A cracked, displaced, or failed manhole cover can create a roadway hazard, damage vehicles, contribute to an accident, or leave an open manhole accessible to the public.
Processing individual purchase orders for each repair would be time-consuming and could further delay corrective work. Individual quotations may also be difficult to develop because additional damage or site conditions are often identified during inspection or after the existing frame and cover are removed.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
September 2021 - Approved a Service Contract to Ayala Engineering, Inc. to provide Manhole Frame & Cover Replacement Services, Specification No. S-2021-1258BD, for a total amount not to exceed $992,105 for the period beginning November 1, 2021, through October 31, 2022, with four, optional one-year renewal options; and approved a contingency of $148,816 (15%).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued on May 19, 2026. OC San received three responsive (3) proposals.
An Evaluation team was formed consisting of an OC San Project Manager/Maintenance Specialist, two Maintenance Specialists, and an Assistant Engineer, with support from a Financial Management Representative and a Safety and Health Specialist. The team was chaired by a Purchasing representative as a non-voting member. On July 6, 2026, an evaluation kick-off meeting was held with the evaluation team to discuss the policies and procedures of the evaluation process.
Individual scoring was the chosen method of evaluation for this procurement. Members of the team performed an independent review of the proposals and later met as a group with the Buyer to discuss their preliminary scores and discuss any questions/concerns they had. Proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria:
|
Criterion |
Points |
|
1. Qualifications & Experience of Firm |
200 |
|
2. Proposed Staffing & Project Organization |
200 |
|
3. Work Plan |
350 |
|
4. Cost |
250 |
The evaluation team first reviewed and scored the proposals based upon the criteria listed above, other than cost.
|
Rank |
Proposer |
Criterion 1 (Max 200 points) |
Criterion 2 (Max 200 Points) |
Criterion 3 (Max 350 Points) |
Subtotal Score (Max 750 Points) |
|
1 |
Ayala Engineering, Inc. |
186.3 |
178.8 |
318.8 |
683.9 |
|
2 |
Big Ben Engineering |
161.3 |
147.5 |
286.3 |
595.1 |
|
3 |
Minako American Corporation |
105 |
87.5 |
186.3 |
378.8 |
All proposals were accompanied by a sealed cost proposal. Only the cost proposals for the two (2) highest ranked firms were opened and negotiated.
|
Rank |
Proposer |
Subtotal Score without cost (Max 750 Points) |
Cost (Max 250 Points) |
Total Weighted Score (Max 1,000 Points) |
|
1 |
Ayala Engineering, Inc. |
683.9 |
250 |
933.9 |
|
2 |
Big Ben Engineering |
595.1 |
95.1 |
690.2 |
Cost Information for Opened Proposals:
|
Rank |
Proposer |
Original Cost |
BAFO |
|
1 |
Ayala Engineering, Inc. |
$1,260,350 |
$1,260,350 |
|
2 |
Big Ben Engineering |
$3,314,750 |
$3,314,750 |
Based on these results, staff recommends approving a General Services Contract to the highest scoring proposer, Ayala Engineering, Inc.
CEQA
N/A
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
This request complies with authority levels of OC San’s Purchasing Ordinance. This item has been budgeted (Budget FY 2026-27 and 2027-28, Section 6, Page 100, Repairs & Maintenance) and the budget is sufficient for the recommended action.
|
Date of Approval |
Contract Amount |
Contingency |
|
09/23/2026 |
$1,260,350 |
$126,035 (10%) |
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov) with the complete agenda package:
• General Services Contract
• Presentation
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