Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Works awards $9.63 million engineering contract for SFPUC Millbrae lab and yard project
Summary
The San Francisco Public Works Commission voted unanimously to award an integrated engineering contract to Arup US Inc. to support design of a new mass-timber water-quality laboratory, administration building and site-wide specialty engineering for the San Francisco Public Utilities CommissionMillbrae campus improvements project.
The San Francisco Public Works Commission on Feb. 13 unanimously approved a $9,630,607 contract with Arup US Incorporated to provide integrated engineering services for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission(SFPUC) Millbrae Campus Improvements Project, a multi-phase program to build a new mass-timber laboratory and administration building, renovate an existing administration building and upgrade campus infrastructure.
The award covers engineering work for the new 66,000-square-foot mass-timber laboratory and administration building and specialty consultants sitewide. The contract term is 2,920 calendar days (about eight years) with a city option to extend up to 3,650 days (10 years). Paul DeFreitas, project lead for Public Works, said the contract will support Public Worksas the architect of record while SFPUC manages environmental clearance and construction contracting.
The contract supports a larger, multi-phase project that Public Works estimates will cost about $428 million. DeFreitas said the team expects to begin hard construction in October 2026, with phased completion targeted in 2031. He told commissioners the work includes seismic upgrades, new PG&E power infrastructure, full electrification and electric-vehicle fleet charging, and on-site power generation including photovoltaic arrays and energy storage.
Commissioners pressed project staff on cost drivers. Commissioner Paul Wolford asked why the construction cost per square foot appeared high; DeFreitas replied the building is being designed to an "essential facility" standard with hospital-level seismic resiliency, extensive mechanical systems for labs, and substantial on-site power and backup systems. "We are looking to generate about 1 megawatt of photovoltaic power," DeFreitas said, adding that those systems and battery storage add to constructed cost.
Commissioners also questioned a planned wellness pavilion on the secure campus. DeFreitas said the client (SFPUC) requested the amenity; he noted the campus is secure because of the pipeline that serves San Francisco's water supply, and said the wellness pavilion would be for employees only. Public Works Director Carla Short noted the department operates a modest gym at its operations yards and said such amenities can benefit operational staff who work extended shifts.
Public Works described the team structure: SFPUC will be project manager and hold the CMGC construction contract (Clark Construction was named as the CMGC); Public Works will be architect of record and coordinate consultants. DeFreitas said Arup and its subconsultants will bring technical specialties and meet the city's Local Business Enterprise (LBE) participation requirements, which were set at 20 percent for this contract.
The commission voted to award the contract; the resolution and contract documents will be posted to the commission website.
Votes at a glance: Contract award to Arup US Incorporated for integrated engineering services; contract amount $9,630,607; term 2,920 days (extendable to 3,650); outcome: approved unanimously.
Next steps: Public Works will continue schematic design through June 2025, coordinate SFPUC-led environmental review (targeted to complete in October 2026) and begin overlapping detailed design and preconstruction with the CMGC in advance of the construction start.
