The city's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) contains the Ridge Creek Park and PLOC Improvement Project PR-19-001 as outlined in the attached CIP project summary sheet. On October 6, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution R2020-114 approving the plans and specifications, and authorizing bidding of the project. The City Council required as part of authorizing bidding of the project to include an alternate bid item for composite decking of the boardwalk. 

The base bid for boardwalk decking is the wood product known as Ipe. Wood Ipe is a very dense hardwood that is resistant to mold/fungi, fire, rot/weather, pests/insects and resists surface scratches. It has the same fire rating as steel and concrete and has a useful life of 25+ years. Ipe wood is three times harder than cedar decking. The alternate bid for boardwalk decking is recycled composite decking. Composite decking is comprised of 95% recycled material and wood fiber typically finished in several colors that resemble natural wood grains. Composite decking has good water resistance with a useful life of up to 25 years. Attached is a comparison of the wood ipe and composite decking materials. Based on the low bidder, selecting the alternate bid for composite decking would result in a cost savings of $165,784.00. 

In accordance with Minnesota Statute Section 471.347 Uniform Municipal Contracting Law, bids were solicited and opened on October 30, 2020. Thirteen bids were received. Twelve bids were complete and one bid was rejected due to incomplete bid. Frattalone Companies, from St Paul, Minnesota, is the low bidder based on the base bid amount of $3,166,321.22. Additionally, their bid for alternate 1 would result in a savings of $165,784.00, reducing the overall project cost to $3,000,537.22, should the city council elect to proceed with the bid alternate. See the attached resolution for the bid tabulation summary of the base bid and alternate bid amounts. The base bid is competitive and is 23.5 percent less than the most recent updated engineer's construction estimate of $4,141,007.02.

Frattalone Companies, has the capacity and experience for the project and is deemed a responsible bidder. They are prepared to begin work in December with an anticipated substantial completion in November 2021.

Based on the bid award amount, the updated total estimated project cost and funding summary is as follows:

The amended total project budget of $4,141,321.22 is under the CIP budget by 17.3 percent and includes a contingency amount that covers any unexpected change orders, quantity adjustments and other miscellaneous expenses encountered as part of the project. This project is funded by the Park Development Fund, Storm Drainage Fund, Tree Replacement Fund, Cost Share with the Prior Lake Outlet Channel Cooperators, Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Watershed Based Funding Grant and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Grant.

Included in the resolution is new funding language that would allow the city to reimburse project costs from future bond proceeds. This language allows for greater flexibility in funding current and future projects, should the city desire or need this in the future. The additional language allows the city a period of up to three years to issue and reimburse itself with bond proceeds. The language does not change the requirements or administrative process for issuing debt. All debt issuance will still require separate approval by the City Council.