Agenda

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City Council Regular Meeting

Meeting Date:

05/11/2021

BACKGROUND

The Animal Adoption Center was completed in 2014. The HVAC system is a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) design and only services the main core of the facility. Only heating, independent of the main system, is supplied in the kennel areas.

For the first 12 – 18 months the system functioned with minor service call-backs. However after that time period the system started to have issues with cooling, pressurization, and dehumidification. From that point in time until the present the system has not operated at a satisfactory level and the City has been required to bring in temporary cooling and dehumidification equipment to keep the central core environment at an acceptable level for City staff.

Several attempts have been made over the years to repair/adjust the system to no avail. This includes the architect, engineer, contractor, and equipment manufacturer responsible for the initial design and construction of the HVAC system. Because none of these efforts resulted in obtaining a resolution to the problems, an outside forensic engineering firm was retained to review the initial system design and the resulting information obtained from various tests run on the entire system.

Following this investigation, the engineering firm was retained to provide and complete re-commissioning of the entire HVAC system and to provide reports, data and recommendations for corrective actions.The final report recommends complete replacement of the existing VRF system including the control wiring system with new HVAC equipment providing a split DX system in lieu of the existing VRF system.

In order to complete the HVAC replacement, the City issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select a qualified Design-Build Firm who could provide a "turnkey" project delivery. The City received two (2) RFQ responses. After evaluating the RFQ responses, Staff identified Team Mechanical of Texas as the most qualified firm.

After negotiations on scope and fee, City Staff was able to reach agreement with Team Mechanical of Texas, which is being recommended for award. Although the base proposal is $596,188.00, Staff is recommending to Council to award two additive alternates to the contract in order to provide gas heat to the building for a total contract value of $618,443.00. Staff is recommending Council approve a total not to exceed amount for the project of $675,000.00 to allow for project contingency.

GOAL

Enter into a Design-Build agreement with Team Mechanical of Texas, LLC for the design and replacement of the Animal Adoption Center HVAC Replacement Project.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

The City of Schertz Animal Adoption Center is a premier facility that provides an important service to our community. The facility services guests from Schertz and surrounding areas and the comfort of those guests is important to their experience which reflects back to their view of the City as a whole. Providing a reliable system also provides safe living conditions for the animals being housed at the facility both from a heating and cooling perspective but also from a ventilation standpoint to limit the spread of disease.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION

City Staff recommends approval of Resolution 21-R-42.

FISCAL IMPACT

The project will be funded out of Contingencies. The City continues to pursue litigation on the original HVAC installation in order to recoup a portion of the project cost.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff is recommending Council approve Resolution 21-R-42.

Attachments
Resolution 21-R-42
Exhibit A
Exhibit B