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County approves findings to use progressive design–build for Fanno Creek Interceptor rehabilitation
Summary
Clean Water Services’ Fanno Creek Interceptor rehabilitation—rehabilitating about 9.4 miles of interceptor pipeline and roughly 155 manholes—will proceed under a progressive design–build delivery after the county adopted findings exempting the project from competitive bidding; the board approved the exemption 4-0.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 on Aug. 26 to adopt findings allowing the county to use a progressive design–build (PDB) procurement method for the Fanno Creek Interceptor rehabilitation and improvement project.
The county’s conveyance engineering division manager, Wade Denney, told the board the interceptor was installed in the late 1960s and now needs repair and capacity improvements. The proposed project would rehabilitate about 9.4 miles of the interceptor (pipeline diameters from roughly 27 to 60 inches), repair or replace about 155 manholes, add maintenance access roads and address inflow and infiltration. Staff estimated design and construction costs at about $108 million; a slide in the packet listed $130 million but staff said that appeared to be a typo and affirmed $108 million as the working estimate.
Denney said a feasibility study recommended alternative contracting and that PDB offered earlier contractor input, better ability to set a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) around 60% design and more effective management of supply-chain risk. He told the board that selection would remain competitive and that the county would advertise the solicitation and evaluate proposals on cost and experience. The board opened a public hearing; no members of the public requested to speak in the auditorium.
Commissioners asked for clarifications about schedule and local-business participation. Denney estimated the overall program would run multiple construction seasons—likely about five years of work—and involve numerous contractors and subcontractors, including small businesses, but could not give a precise subcontractor count.
After discussion the board approved the adoption of findings that exempt the project from competitive bidding and allow use of the progressive design–build method. County staff said they would return to the board later to request approval of the selected PDB contract and to seek approval of GMP work packages prior to construction phases.
Why it matters: the Fanno Creek Interceptor carries wastewater flows for a large portion of the collection system; rehabbing the pipeline aims to extend service life by roughly 50 years, reduce inflow and infiltration, and reduce risk of failures. Using PDB is intended to reduce schedule and change-order risk and to allow earlier contractor input on constructability.
Speakers quoted or cited in this article are listed in the speakers section below.
