PUC pledges contracting reforms after Mitchell Engineering raises payment and delay complaints

Mitchell Engineering told the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Oct. 10 that slow responses, withheld payments and disputed change orders have left multiple city projects protracted and contractors reluctant to do work in San Francisco.

"We have $1,500,000 being withheld on the job," Jason DiIulio, a project engineer with Mitchell Engineering, said of the central pump station project, which he said is 292 calendar days behind schedule. Company representatives said the city had rescinded previously agreed delay days, denied additional crews and later threatened to impose liquidated damages as projects neared completion.

Mitchell's president, Mike Silva, told commissioners the firm has filed a government claim on an unresolved job and warned that many contractors have left San Francisco. "San Francisco…