To: Board of Directors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Thomas Builders Corporation / Communications Center Remodel Change Orders & Increased Overage
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or Designee to execute Change Order #8.2 in a not-to-exceed amount of $306,480 for additional data and network connectivity underground infrastructure work.
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or Designee to execute Change Order #36.2 in a not-to-exceed amount $228,000 for additional generator backup power site and infrastructure work.
APPROVE an increase to the total contract amount to Thomas Builders Corporation by a net $1,950,000 increase for a total amount of $16,030,246.
Authorize the Fire Chief or designee to approve additional change orders as necessary to complete the project, inclusive of expenses due to materials, subcontractor labor, general contractor fees, and potential billable time delays.
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 Supervisors awarded a construction contract to Thompson Builders Corporation for the construction of a new fire communications center and supporting communications division offices building. The original awarded amount was $12,345,678, with authority granted to the Fire Chief or designee to approve change orders up to a total contract amount of $14,080,246. The total awarded amount included $1,234,568 for potential change orders and $500,000 for a generator. The generator has already been purchased via a separate board order.
Based on the construction process and complexities of this overall project, the contractor, architect, and the District have had to deal with multiple unforeseen circumstances and associated change orders-the approved change orders to date total $586,676. Additional pending and potential change orders total approximately $2,550,568. The additional pending and potential change orders include material acquisition, subcontractor labor charges, general contractor management fees, and possible construction delay general condition daily charges.
The construction of the new fire communications center, inclusive of a new server room/data center to support the information technology needs of the entire fire district, is a very complicated and technical project. As the project progresses, numerous issues and/or needs have surfaced that must be addressed correctly to ensure the future functionality, serviceability, and reliability of this critical fire district facility, emergency 911 dispatch services, and the district’s information technology network.
Change order #8.2 includes extra underground site work for data and fiber conduit and infrastructure work. This work includes providing critical connectivity to the County’s network, East Bay Regional Communications System (EBRCS) equipment and tower, outside fiber providers, and 911 inbound phone systems.
Change order #36.2 includes extra underground site work, conduit, and wiring to support the emergency generator, which provides backup power to the new fire communications center and the communications division offices building.
The requested recommendations in this board order are critical to the continued construction project and completion of this overall project in support of the fire district’s emergency operations, fire prevention functions, and administrative functions daily.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the identified change orders and total project funds requested are not approved, the project will not be completed. This project is critical to the fire district’s new fire communications center and the information technology network and system that runs the entire fire district.