REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Chau Vu, Director of Public Works
PREPARED BY: Frank Drevdahl, Capital Projects Administrator
Subject:
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Reject All Bids for Main Street Branch Library HVAC and Electrical Improvements (CC-1790) and Direct Staff to Re-Bid
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Statement of Issue:
On November 4, 2025, the Public Works Department (the “Department”) received two (2) bids for the Main Street Branch Library HVAC and Electrical Improvements Project. Both bids exceeded the project’s currently allocated budget of $463,000. Staff recommends that the City Council reject all bids to allow further evaluation of project scope, funding, and delivery options in light of current utility requirements and market conditions.
Financial Impact:
There are no fiscal impacts related to the recommended action.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Reject all bids for CC-1790, Main Street Branch Library HVAC and Electrical Improvements.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not accept the recommended action, and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The City of Huntington Beach (the “City”) Main Street Branch Library (the “Library”) is located at 525 Main Street in Triangle Park. Built in the 1950s, the Library is a concrete tilt-up structure with limited central heating and no central air conditioning. As a result, interior temperatures can fluctuate significantly, periodically impacting library operations and resulting in temporary closures.
To address these conditions, staff retained Westburg White Architecture in September 2024 to prepare design documents for HVAC and electrical improvements. The project scope included upgrading electrical capacity, construction of a dedicated electrical room, provisions for future mechanical expansion, and installation of multiple air conditioning and heat pump units throughout the building.
During final design coordination, Southern California Edison (SCE) determined that the Library’s existing electrical service was insufficient to support the proposed mechanical load. SCE required that service be extended from an electrical vault located on Acacia Street. This utility-driven requirement necessitated additional work, including street trenching and boring, installation of a transformer, and trenching through landscaped areas.
Following incorporation of SCE’s requirements, the design documents were finalized and advertised for bid, with cost estimates developed based on the information available at the time. Bids were opened on November 4, 2025, and both bids substantially exceeded the project’s allocated budget of $463,000, with the lowest bid being $798,000.
After bid opening, staff consulted with third-party electrical contractors and engineering professionals to evaluate potential alternative approaches. These consultations confirmed that the Library’s existing electrical service is at full capacity and cannot accommodate additional load without establishing a new service source. Follow-up discussions with SCE further confirmed that no upgrade options are available at the existing service location. Staff also analyzed the bids received and determined that the cost associated solely with the required electrical service extension, including trenching, boring, transformer installation, and related infrastructure, approached or exceeded the project’s current total budget.
As a result, while the project objectives remain unchanged, the original scope cannot be delivered within the existing budget under current conditions. Staff will return with recommended scope reductions, phasing options, or alternative delivery approaches to ensure the project remains viable and fiscally sustainable.
Environmental Status:
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15031c under Class 1 of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. PowerPoint Presentation