TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 17, 2025
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. John P. Murray, Acting Executive Director
Title
Authority to advertise Contract 21-092-3P Battery E Activated Sludge Facility, OWRP , estimated cost between $308,754,750.00 and $373,755,750.00, Account 401-50000-645650, Requisition 1639807
Body
Dear Sir:
Contract documents and specifications have been prepared for Contract 21-092-3P Battery E Activated Sludge Facility, OWRP.
The purpose of this contract is to construct a new activated sludge facility, Battery E, capable of handling a peak flow of 125 MGD at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (OWRP). Per the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for OWRP, the District must meet a new 1.0 mg/L monthly average total phosphorus (TP) effluent limit beginning August 1, 2027, and a 0.5 mg/L annual geometric mean TP effluent limit by January 1, 2030. Battery E will feature side stream enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S2EBPR); this process conditions return activated sludge (RAS) for enhanced biological phosphorus uptake in the aeration tanks. Existing Battery D has been modified to include S2EBPR and it is anticipated that at least 2 of the three existing Batteries A-C, which are approaching 100-years and in need of extensive rehabilitation, will also be modified to include S2EBPR. The greatest benefit of S2EBPR is that biological phosphorous removal will be the primary means for phosphorous removal at the OWRP. However, implementation of biological phosphorous removal requires reduction of aerobic zones in existing batteries reducing the OWRP’s capacity for treating ammonia, the new Battery E facility will replace the lost aeration volume. The new Battery E Facility will ensure that OWRP will be in compliance with increasingly stringent permit limits.
The project consists of the following:
1. S2EBPR Fermenter Tank with three passes and mechanical mixers.
2. Six Aeration Tanks with each tank having two passes, mechanical mixers, baffle walls, fine bubble membrane disc diffuser aeration system, and automated air supply system.
3. Mixing Chamber, Anoxic Pass, Influent Channel, Mixed Liquor Channel, and RAS Conduit to distribute and recycle process flows to the various treatment tanks.
4. Eight Final Settling Tanks with sludge and scum collection rake arms and drive mechanisms.
5. Operating Gallery Building with RAS airlift pumps, WAS centrifugal pumps, and Fermenter RAS centrifugal pumps.
6. Post Aeration Tank with fine bubble ceramic plate diffuser aerations system and automated air supply system.
7. Influent Conduit to feed primary treated effluent into the Battery E facility.
8. Effluent Conduit to send Battery E secondary treated flow to existing plant effluent conduit.
9. Utility Tunnel to connect existing utilities and allow staff access from the existing Meter Building to the new Battery E Operating Gallery Building.
10. Extension of the plant process air mains to feed Battery E treatment processes and create a loop to improve air pressure and flow to other existing aeration batteries.
11. Installation of other ancillary infrastructure, including the following:
a. Yard piping/utilities, site pavements, screening wall, site grading, and all other Civil work required for the new facilities.
b. Structural, Architectural, HVAC, and Plumbing work required for the new facilities.
c. Electrical and Instrumentation and Control work required to power and control all new Battery E equipment from the existing Process Control Building and plant DCS.
It is estimated that 1,363 jobs will be created or saved as a result of award of this contract with an estimated 781,196 man-hours of skilled trades utilized.
The estimated cost for this contract is between $308,754,750.00 and $373,755,750.00. The cost range will be stated in the advertisement for bids.
The bid deposit for this contract is $3,737,557.00.
The contract specifications require that all work commence 30 calendar days after approval of the contractor’s bond and shall be completed within 1,460 calendar days after approval of the contractor’s bond. Liquidated damages are $1,000.00 for each calendar day that the contractor is in default of the time specified for failing to achieve substantial work completion and $200.00 for each calendar day that the contractor is in default of the time specified for completion of the entire work.
An Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Construction Permit is required and has been received for this contract.
The Multi-Project Labor Agreement will be included in this contract.
The Affirmative Action Ordinance, Revised Appendix D, will be included in this contract. The type of work to be performed under the contract is within the “Mechanical” category for establishing Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBE), and/or Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Veteran-owned Business Enterprises (VBE) utilization goals. The tailored MBE, WBE and VBE utilization goals for this contract are 20 percent MBE, 10 percent WBE, and 3 percent VBE.
The tentative schedule for this contract is as follows:
Advertise August 6, 2025
Bid Opening September 16, 2025
Award November 20, 2025
Completion December 17, 2029
Funds are available in Account 401-50000-645650.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to advertise Contract 21-092-3P.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, CS:PO’B
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Precious Brady-Davis, Chairperson Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for July 17, 2025
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