To: Board of Directors
From: Aaron J. McAlister, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Thomas Builders Corporation / Communications Center Remodel Change Orders & Increased Overage
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute Change Order #14 with Thompson Builders Corporation (“Thompson”) in the amount of $991,348, which constitutes a global settlement for payment of additional work and settlement of all claims on Phase 1 of the above project.
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to extend the contract completion date to June 26, 2026 for Phase 1 and to February 5, 2027 for Phase 2.
APPROVE an increase of $1,000,000 to the project contingency fund to cover the above change order and other potential change orders during Phase 2, for a total revised payment limit of $17,030,246.
AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to approve additional change orders as necessary to complete Phase 2 of the project, subject to the revised payment limit and subject to Board approval as required by law.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with this project are currently paid from the CCCFPD EMS Transport Fund and reimbursed from bond proceeds. To the extent that total project costs exceed available bond proceeds, a future budget amendment will be submitted for board approval to transfer funds from the CCCFPD EMS Transport Fund Balance to the CCCFPD EMS Transport Fund.
BACKGROUND:
On May 14, 2024, the Board of Directors awarded a construction contract to Thompson Builders Corporation (“Thompson”) for the construction of a new fire communications center and supporting communications division offices building. The original awarded contract amount was $12,345,678, with authority granted to the Fire Chief, or designee, to approve potential change orders up to a total payment limit of $14,080,246. The total payment limit included
$1,234,568 (10% of the contract amount) for potential change orders and $500,000 for a generator. The generator has already been purchased via a separate board order.
On August 12, 2025, the Board of Directors approved change orders and increased the payment limit by $1,950,000 from $14,080.246 to a new payment limit of $16,030,246.
To address changes in the project work, some unforeseen circumstances, and delays experienced during Phase 1 of the project, Change Order #14 was negotiated with Thompson. This change order, which constitutes a global settlement for Phase 1, would result in additional payment of $991,348 to Thompson for additional work and time impacts during Phase 1.
The Fire Chief recommends that the Board approve Change Order #14, approve extension of the contract completion dates for Phases 1 and 2, approve a $1 million increase in the project contingency fund, and authorize the Fire Chief, or designee, to issue additional change orders for Phase 2 of the project, subject to the total revised payment limit ($17,030,246) and Board approval as required by law. The requested recommendations in this Board order are important to the continued construction project and completion of this overall project in support of the Fire District’s daily emergency operations, fire prevention functions, and administrative functions.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If Change Order #14 and the requested increase in project funds are not approved, the project may not be successfully completed, and Thompson would not be compensated for work performed. This project is critical to the Fire District’s new fire communications center, communications divisions, and the information technology network that runs the entire Fire District.