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Ames City Council approves Sargent & Lundy to design new power plant
Summary
The Ames City Council approved a contract with engineering firm Sargent & Lundy to design a new municipal power plant, covering design work, bidding and potential construction‑phase support; council emphasized aesthetics, vendor experience and that construction services are not part of the current agreement.
Ames City Council approved a contract with engineering firm Sargent & Lundy to design a proposed municipal power plant, council members said at a special meeting. The agreement covers architectural and engineering design work, support through the bidding process and administration of construction contracts; it does not itself authorize construction work.
City staff introduced the item after Council Member 2 pulled it from the consent agenda for discussion. A city staff member said the city issued a request for proposals seeking firms experienced with reciprocating internal‑combustion‑engine power plants and that Sargent & Lundy stood out because it had substantially more U.S. experience with both of the manufacturers the city considered. "This contract will carry us through the design as well as all of the bidding process and award of the bidding of, not only the equipment, but also all of the contracts to construct," the city staff member said.
Council members pressed staff on scope and aesthetics. A council member praised staff for including aesthetics in the selection criteria and asked whether the firm had capacity to address design appearance as well as function. The city staff member said Sargent & Lundy has architects on staff, that project team members toured a facility in Holland, Michigan, and that the firm is prepared to discuss aesthetic options during the design kickoff while acknowledging cost will be a consideration throughout the process.
Staff clarified the current agreement is limited to architectural and engineering design; additional construction management services may be requested later if defined and authorized by the council. "At this point, we're both in alignment of how we're gonna go forward," the city staff member said, while noting the firm's board approved the agreement earlier the same day.
Council Member 6 moved approval of the item and Council Member 2 seconded. A roll call recorded 'Aye' from Edie Hansen, Rollman, Gloria, Gorton, Jones and Patrick; the motion passed. The city plans a kickoff meeting to define megawatt targets, layout, aesthetics and other design decisions before any construction contract is pursued.
