Immokalee Sidewalk Project Phase III

Yellow - Proposed Phase 3

  Orange - Phase 1 and 2 (completed in 2018 and 2021) 

This project is part of the comprehensive sidewalk plan for the southern area of the Immokalee Community. Phases 1 and 2 were completed in 2018 and 2021.  This phase will further the goal to provide an interconnected sidewalk network to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, connecting residential areas to community facilities and commercial services.  

Phase 3 will consist of constructing 6-foot-wide concrete sidewalks as well as drainage improvements associated with the sidewalks, along Eustis Street and W. Delaware from South 5th Street to South 1st Street (approximately 2500 linear feet).     

Agnoli, Barber and Brundage (ABB) has been selected to complete the design and permitting for this project. The ICRA has been tentatively awarded federal appropriations grant funds in the estimated amount of $987,000 for the construction portion of this project. 

On December 13, 2022, the Board of County Commissions (BCC) approved the Application and executed the federal forms for the Application. The Application was submitted on December 21, 2022, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Application package included the Key Contacts Form, Project Narrative, Project Budget, and three (3) Federal Forms (Standard Form SF-424, SF-424D and SF-LLL).

The total cost for the Eustis & Delaware Project (design and construction) was estimated at $1.14M. The Immokalee Beautification MSTU and the Immokalee CRA will partner on this project.
 

Notice to proceed was issued to ABB on August 16, 2021. ABB finalized their 100% design plans on September 8, 2022, and provided an Engineer’s Opinion of Probable Costs in the amount of $1,007,822.50.

Total Municipal Solutions, Inc. (TMS) is the Project’s Certified Engineer & Inspector (CEI). TMS submitted a finalized Proposal for CEI Services in the amount of $101,215.60 and is on hold until the Grant Agreement requirements are finalized and the solicitation for a General Contractor is completed so the work may commence.  

The Environmental Review Report (ERR) was completed reflecting no significant impact; and letters were sent to the Tribal leaders for comments. The Tribal 30-day comments period expired on May 24, 2023. Staff prepared the required Notices for the Environmental Review Report for publication on August 22, 2023, with a 15-day public comments period.  A request for a quote was sent to a floodplain consultant on October 17, 2023, for the review of the Environmental Review Report and for any necessary updates to ensure the Report’s completeness. A 5-step process was recommended as an addition to the Environmental Review Report due to the project being within the 100-year floodplain but not a wetland. On November 14, 2023, Tetha Tech was authorized to initiate the 5-step process.  
 

The Request for Release of Funds and Certificate (RROF) was executed by  the County Manager as the Responsible Entity. The executed RROF was sent to HUD’s Regional Field Officer in Miami, Florida for approval on December 14, 2023.  On February 2, 2024, the HUD Field Officer in Miami determined the project to be Categorically Excluded Not Subject to 24 CFR 58.5 and it converted to exempt (no 7015.15 or 7015.16 forms are required). On February 2, 2024, Staff sent the Environmental Review Report and the 5-Stop Process to HUD in DC for review and requested confirmation to move forward. 

The County cannot commit or spend funds (HUD or non-HUD funds) on hard costs or take any choice limiting actions until the project completes an Environmental Review. Examples of choice limiting action include, but are not limited to, entering a contract for construction or physical work on the project. Failure to comply with the prohibition on choice limiting actions can result in forfeiture of grant funds.

The environmental review process is completed when the RROF is approved by HUD’s CPD Field Office Director through the issuance of the Standard Form 7015.16 Authority to Use Grant Funds  or upon confirmation of the authorization to proceed by the HUD authorizing officer in Washington, D.C.

In January 2024 Staff sent Procurement Services the Solicitation for the Invitation to Bid by General Contractors for the construction of the project. Solicitation #24-8233 may not be advertised until the Grant Agreement is fully executed and HUD provides their authorization to move forward. The advertisement was put on hold awaiting HUD’s authorization. 

On January 21, 2024, HUD requested the BCC’s Chairman to sign the Direct Deposit Form in addition to the execution by the County’s Principal Financial Officer. The BCC approved the Direct Deposit Form on February 27, 2024; and the Direct Deposit Form was sent to HUD on February 28, 2024. On March 15, 2024, Staff followed-up with HUD on the execution of the Grant Agreement and requested confirmation to move forward on the solicitation for bids.  

On May 14, 2024, Staff requested CHS to upload the ERR in HEROS because Staff did not have access. On May 21, 2024, CHS submitted the ERR to HUD via HEROS. Staff was activated into DRGR as a new user on May 3, 2024 and started to draft an Action Plan for approval by CHS and OMB and submittal to HUD. Staff and CHS attended the first virtual Microsoft Teams meeting with HUD on May 24, 2024. 

Staff resubmitted the Solicitation to Procurement Services after HUD provided the fully executed Grant Agreement and provided confirmation on May 24, 2024, to move forward. On June 6, 2024, a Procurement Strategist was assigned and the Authorization to Advertise was processed for the solicitation for bids. On July 10, 2024, Staff was advised to post a legal ad in the “Naples Daily News” on July 17, 2024, and it was posted on the Collier County’s Clerk of Courts website and on OpenGov’s platform for bids. A pre-bid meeting was conducted on  July 30, 2024, 10:00 A.M. at the Immokalee CRA Office. Bids were due September 3, 2024, by 3PM.  There were numerous questions posted by bidders and the Bid Opening Date was extended to September 17, 2024, by 3:00 p.m. Fourteen (14) Questions and Answers plus four (4) Addendums were posted on OpenGov before the September 10, 2024, 5:00 p.m. deadline. Seven (7) bids were submitted, and Procurement Services vetted the unofficial bids for the determination of an awardee.

LJA provided an award recommendation to the apparent low bidder with a bid of $1,101,179.50, which is approximately 9% higher than the original Engineering’s Opinion of Probable Costs (EOPC) of $1,007,822.50. The EOPC was prepared nearly two years ago on September 8, 2022. If an inflation rate of 3.5% was applied for two years, the EOPC would be nearly identical to the apparent low bid. 

Staff prepared a draft Change Order #1 (CO#1) for the Engineer of Record (EOR) and updated the Timeline for the project. ABB formally was the EOR until May 2024 when LJA Engineering acquired ABB.  On October 17, 2024, the draft CO#1 was submitted to Procurement Services for processing.   CO#1 will extend LJA’s end date from November 8, 2024, to July 31, 2025, to perform construction assistance activities.

HUD approved the submitted Action Plan for the Project on July 30, 2024; and the first Performance Report and Federal Financial Report were submitted to HUD on August 6, 2024. Semi-Annual Performance Reports are due to HUD with the next report due January 1, 2025.