To: Board of Supervisors
From: Warren Lai, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Report Title: AWARD and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to execute a construction contract in the amount of $795,900 with Aztec Consultants, Inc, for the Law Enforcement Training Structure at 11990 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton, CA.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
(1) APPROVE the design and bid documents, including the plans and specifications, for the above project.
(2) DETERMINE that the bid submitted by Aztec Consultants, Inc. (Aztec) complies with all requirements of the Project specifications, including the requirements of the County’s Outreach Program.
(3) WAIVE any minor irregularities in Aztec’s bid, which have been cured by Aztec.
(4) FURTHER DETERMINE that Aztec submitted the lowest responsive and responsible bid for this Project.
(5) AWARD the construction contract for the above Project to Aztec in the listed amount ($795,900) submitted in the bid, and DIRECT the Public Works Director, or designee, to prepare the contract.
(6) DIRECT that Aztec shall submit two good and sufficient surety bonds (performance and payment) in the amount of $795,000 each.
(7) DIRECT that, as a condition of contract award, Aztec and its subcontractors shall pay prevailing wages, as required by state law and the Project specifications.
(8) ORDER that, after Aztec has signed the contract and returned it, together with the bonds, evidence of insurance, and other required documents, and the Public Works Director has reviewed and found them to be sufficient, the Public Works Director, or designee, is authorized to sign the contract for this Board.
(9) ORDER that, in accordance with the Project specification and upon signature of the construction contract by the Public Works Director, or designee, any bid bonds posted by the bidders are exonerated and any checks or cash submitted for bid security shall be returned.
(10) AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to sign any escrow agreements prepared for this Project to permit the direct payment of retention into escrow for the substitution of securities for monies withheld by the County to ensure performance under the contract, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 2230.
(11) AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to order changes or additions to the work pursuant to the Public Contract Code Section 20142. The extra cost to the County for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed $210,000.
(12) DELEGATE, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 4114, to the Public Works Director, or designee, the Board’s functions under Public Contract Code Section 4107 and 4110.
(13) DECLARE that, should the award of contract to Aztec be invalidated for any reason, the Board would not in any event have awarded the contract to any other bidder, but instead would have exercised its discretion to reject the bids received. Nothing in this Board Order shall prevent the Board from re-awarding the contract to another bidder in cases where the successful bidder establishes a mistake, refuses to sign the contract, or fails to furnish required bonds or insurance (see Public Contract Code Sections 5100-5107).
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% Sheriff Department Funds
BACKGROUND:
The Law Enforcement Training Structure for the Contra Costa Office of the Sheriff will be for use as a critical incident training structure for the Sheriff and other local, state, and federal law enforcement and first responder agencies at the County’s Police Officer Standards & Training (POST) certified Law Enforcement Training Center at 11990 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton CA. Benefits of the project include the ability to provide County law enforcement personnel and first responders with training to acquire relevant specialized skills on a collaborative, standardized, affordable basis and to host other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and first responders in developing skills utilizing such a facility.
The project consists of constructing a specialized concrete foundation, technical assembly/erection of a modular training structure already purchased by Contra Costa County from Fire Facilities, Inc. and bringing power to the training structure for a smoke fan, lights and outlets. The training tower material purchase agreement to Fire Facilities, Inc. was previously approved by the Board of Supervisors on November 5, 2024 and amended on November 5, 2025.
On June 24, 2025, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Public Works Director to solicit bids for the Project. The initial project figure of $250,000 was a preliminary Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimate based on conceptual assumptions.
The lowest responsive bid of $795,900 reflects the current market cost for the project's specific needs. The increase from the initial estimate is due to higher-than-anticipated costs for the following:
• Erection: The labor and equipment required to assemble the pre-fabricated tower.
• Concrete Work: The foundation required for the tower’s footprint.
• Electrical Infrastructure: Providing power to the structure for smoke fans and lighting.
The Sheriff’s Department has reviewed the bid results and confirmed that sufficient funding is available to cover the total contract amount. Aztec Consultants, Inc. has formally extended their bid validity period through April 6, 2026, ensuring the price remains firm through the contract execution phase.
Two bids were received and opened on November 12, 2025:
|
BIDDER |
BID AMOUNT |
|
Aztec Consultants, Inc. |
$795,900 |
|
CWS Construction Group, Inc. |
$945,000 |
|
Note: CWS Bid was found non-responsive due to lack of submission of Good Faith Effort (GFE). |
|
In the bid submitted by Aztec, there were two minor irregularities that did not affect the bid price and did not give Aztec a competitive advantage. The first involved not initialing a change to the bid price. The second involved not acknowledging Addendum #2, which was an informational only drawing with no consequential cost impact, on the bid form. Aztec has confirmed that their bid price ($795,900) included Addendum #2 and has cured both minor irregularities. It is recommended that the Board waive these minor irregularities in Aztec’s bid and award the contract to Aztec as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Per the Project specifications and state law, Aztec and its subcontractors will be required to pay prevailing wages for the Project work. It is further recommended that this be a specific condition of contract award. The general prevailing rates of wages, which shall be the minimum rates paid on this project, have been filed with the Clerk of the Board, and copies will be made available to any party upon request.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board does not approve the construction of the Law Enforcement Training Structure, the County will not be able to provide the unique training opportunities afforded by having such a structure, and local law enforcement would be impacted in their training availability. Additionally, the modular components already purchased by the County would remain unutilized, resulting in an incomplete project and a loss of the initial investment in the training structure materials.