Staff recommends nearly $5.94 million for Ventura Road, Rice Avenue sewer main replacement

Tim Beeman, assistant director of public works for Oxnard City, told the Oxnard City Council that staff recommends the council approve up to $5,937,896 to fund a sewer main replacement and upsizing project on Ventura Road and Rice Avenue.

Beeman said the recommendation includes a construction agreement, contingency and project allocation. "Recommendation is that the city council approve and authorize... a total of $5,937,896 in project funds," he said, and that the mayor be authorized to execute an agreement with the low responsive bidder.

The proposal covers two segments identified in the city's integrated master plan as requiring replacement and upsizing because of surcharge conditions. Beeman said the first segment is Ventura Road from Latico Avenue to Camino Del Sol, about 1,900 feet of 24-inch sewer main; the second is Ventura Road between Doris Avenue and Little Farms Road, about 3,082 linear feet of 15-inch sewer main. Staff said hydraulic modeling in the master plan was followed by site visits to confirm surcharging at those locations.

Bidding and contract terms: Beeman said the formal bid was advertised on Feb. 13, 2025, via a local newspaper, the city's Public Purchase site and the city's website; 39 previously registered contractors were notified and the city received three bids. He identified Blois Construction as the lowest responsive bidder.

Staff presented the following cost breakdown as part of the recommendation: a construction contract with Blois Construction in the amount of $4,750,316; a construction contingency of $712,504.48 (about 15%), described by staff as necessary because the road corridors are congested with utilities; and a project allocation of $475,032 (about 10%) for engineering, inspection, survey and project management. Those figures were presented within an overall project funding request of $5,937,896.

Beeman said the additional contingency is intended to provide flexibility for unforeseen utility conflicts and for potential night or outside-hours work. He also noted there are other capital improvement projects in the same areas, which could affect coordination and scheduling.

Funding request: Staff asked for a budget appropriation of $170,896 from the wastewater operating fund (611) and a corresponding appropriation increase in the wastewater capital fund (612) for project C2309 to cover the remaining funding need. The transcript contained a numerical figure presented as a project budget balance that appears to be garbled and implausibly large; that figure is not reported here because it cannot be verified from the record.

The presentation concluded with staff asking the council to authorize the mayor to execute the agreement and approve the appropriations. No council vote or formal action was recorded in the provided transcript.