Post Falls council approves Apollo Inc. preconstruction contract for water‑reclamation solids work
Loading...
Summary
Council approved a $500,391.99 contract for Apollo Inc. to provide preconstruction CMGC services on a multi‑phase solids‑handling upgrade at the city’s water reclamation facility; staff said the overall planning estimate for the project is about $30.3 million and the new dewatering unit was already purchased.
Post Falls council voted to bring construction manager/general contractor Apollo Inc. into the design phase of a multi‑year solids‑handling improvement at the city water reclamation facility.
Andrew Orbini, projects division manager in public works, told the council that the project grew out of a 2013 facility study and subsequent updates. He said the work will be done in two subprojects: buying a redundant dewatering unit (the city has already purchased a second unit) and building the balance of the solids‑handling improvements. “Council approval this evening would bring a construction manager, general contractor onboard into the design process,” Orbini said.
The contract before the council covers preconstruction services and a staff management reserve; Orbini identified the total request as $500,391.99 and said the funding is budgeted through the solids‑handling improvements project. He also noted the city previously contracted JEB Engineers for design work (about $3.8 million) and purchased the second dewatering unit for roughly $775,000. Orbini described the CMGC (construction manager/general contractor) process as a collaborative approach that brings contractor constructability input into design and then negotiates a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) later in the sequence.
Councilors asked for clarification about competitive bidding under the CMGC method, contingency allowances and how the GMP would be negotiated. Orbini said subcontracted work packages would be competitively bid and that the city would review and negotiate the GMP; he called the CMGC approach an opportunity to resolve constructability risk earlier in the schedule. He also said the preconstruction portion includes a 10% management reserve tied to the preconstruction services, and that the GMP contingency for construction will be determined later during design.
Council approved the motion to enter the preconstruction services contract with Apollo Inc. by roll call vote.
What’s next: staff said it expects to continue design work with JEB and Apollo over the coming year and anticipates the purchased dewatering unit to arrive in January 2027, with installation completed mid‑2027; larger construction would follow in 2027–2028 and come back to council with the GMP negotiation and contract amendment for final approval.
