Uni-Tec was hired by the Authority to develop plans for an upgrade to Sewage Treatment Plant. On April 22, 2014, the Authority received a funding offer from PennVest of $5,318,670 in a 30-year loan at 1% interest; plus grant funds of $4,012,330.
Uni-Tec's Opinion of Probable Construction Costs for the plant upgrade was $8,083,100.
Bids for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovation were opened on February 24, 2015.
These bids were received for the General Construction Contract (from low bid to highest)
1. Lobar, Inc., Dillsburg, PA, $9,208.000;
2. Pact Construction, Ringoes, NJ,. $9.373,000;
3.Quandel Construction, Harrisburg, PA, $9,650,000
4. LaChase Construction, Corning, NY, $9.840,000
5.Welliver, Montour Falls, NY, $10,500,000
6. Streeter Associations, Elmira, NY, $10,596.000
7. HRI, Inc. State College, $10,579,000
8. Michael Ronca & Sons, Bethlehem, PA, $10,617,000
9. G M McCrossin, Bellefonte, PA, $11,159,512
Five bids were received for the Electrical Contract:
1. G R Noto, Clarks Summit, PA, $923,000
2, McCarl's, Inc. Harrisburg, PA, $991,450
3, Lecce Electric, Williamsport, $1,020,000
4. G M McRossin, Bellefonte, $1,121,000
5, Tra Electric, Watsontown,PA, $1,136,950
The combined value of the low bids for electrical and general construction is $10,138,000.
Uni-Tec's Opinion of Probable Construction Costs was $8,083,100, meaning that the bids were $2,054,900 in excess of the estimated probable cost.
Because the bids greatly exceeded what the Authority had anticipated, the project will have to be reworked and perhaps rebid.
After the bids were evaluated, Uni-Tec followed up with manufacturers and the low bidders. Mr. Lingenfelter and Mr. Peck reported to the Board on potential cost reductions from changes in equipment specifications. These are about $750,000, but there are concerns about some of those potential changes. "Some are viable, but some have to be researched," Mr. Peck said,
There also could be potential reductions in the excavation and demolition costs, including demolition of the RBC building. Elimination of the proposed equipment building and a reduction in the area to be paved could result in lower costs. Also, if pre-cast concrete was used instead of pouring in place, the cost could be some $105,000 less.
More money could be available through PennVest, but it would be loans, not grants.
Mr. Peck said that the consensus of was that the project was difficult to bid, and that the contractors may not have had enough time to make an optimum bid, and if the project were rebid, the bids are likely to be less.
The board asked the Uni-Tec representatives how the situation could best be resolved. They replied that they have not ruled out doing a rebid at no additional charge, if the process was simple, but if it was a major redesign, there could be additional engineering costs.
Some cuts under consideration in order to bring the bidding in line with projections include the SCADA system, a storage building, additional sludge storage, a new control building but adding an electrical room instead, and using the existing garage.
Mr. Hilfiger said that it may be best to rebid the project after making some changes in the specifications. Mr. Lingenfelter said, "If these cuts can't get down to a level where the Authority Board wants it to be, we will have to rebid." He said that taking out the Intellipro system opens the project up to other suppliers.
A conference call was held with PennVest on March 2 to discuss the bids, and the settlement date for the PennVest loan, originally scheduled for April 21, 2015, has been postponed for a date that will be determined after a conference call with PennVest on April 27.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved and the bills and invoices approved for payment, except for a $15,000 payment to Uni-Tec.
The board voted to abate sewer charges for these customers, all of which had water leaks that did not enter the sewage system: $221.85 to Cindy West, 169 N. Center Street for 30,600 gallons; $38,55 for 2,300 gallons for Althea Madigan, 108 Sullivan Street; and $51.40 for 8,500 gallons for Rachel Meuse, 2771 Route 414.
The Authority sold 3.1 million gallons of bulk water in February, priced at $49,000, with an additional 440,000 gallons ($7,000) as of March 17.
RBC #4 was out of service while bolts were tightened but is again on line, and RBC #1 is down for loose bolts.
The Authority received $600 from Bradford County Collections as restitution in the Brenda Mott case. This makes a total of $74,992.46 returned as restitution and leaves $254,051.44 due as per the civil suit agreement.
The Authority collected $2,073 in stormwater surcharges for Canton Borough in March.
To date, the Authority has spent $1,030,557 on the wastewater upgrade project, of which $713,501 was borrowed from water funds, $158,073 from the sewer equipment replacement fund, and $158,983 from general sewer funds.