HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13 - Award Purchase Order Contract for Electrical Equipment Upgrades at John Garthe Water Pump Station Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pw
Item # 13
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
December 2, 2025
TOPIC: Award Purchase Order for Electrical Equipment Upgrades at John Garthe Water
Pump Station
AGENDA TITLE
Award Purchase Order Contract to B&K Electric Wholesale for Electrical Equipment,
Hardware, and Related Materials for John Garthe Water Pump Station (Specification No.
25-126) (Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Award a purchase order contract to B&K Electric Wholesale for electrical equipment,
hardware, and related materials for the John Garthe Water Pump Station for a two-year
term beginning in December 2, 2025 and expiring December 1, 2027, in a total amount
not to exceed $500,000.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
The Public Works Agency Water Resources Division (PWA) oversees and maintains the
daily operations of the City’s water and sanitary sewer systems. The water system is
comprised of approximately 480 miles of water main, 21 groundwater wells, seven pump
stations, 10 reservoirs with a storage capacity of 49 million gallons, four pressure
regulating stations, and seven connection points to the Metropolitan Water District
(MWD). The system has an average daily demand of 30 million gallons from its roughly
45,500 metered service connections.
The John Garthe Pump Station is the City of Santa Ana’s largest and most critical water
distribution facility, serving as a central hub for delivering safe and reliable drinking water
to the community. The station operates in tandem with a 15-million-gallon reservoir and
receives supply from five active groundwater wells. Through its booster pumps, the
station maintains consistent pressure across the distribution system, ensuring
uninterrupted service to residents and businesses citywide.
However, John Garthe Pump Station’s electrical infrastructure has reached the end of its
useful life, which is the length of time the infrastructure and equipment is expected to
function efficiently and dependably by industry standards. As equipment ages beyond its
design lifespan, performance becomes less efficient, unplanned outages occur more
Electrical Equipment, Hardware, and Related Materials for Garthe Pump Station
December 2, 2025
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frequently, and likelihood of complete failure increases. The existing motor control centers
(MCCs), variable frequency drives (VFDs), switchgear, and control panels have reached
the end of their operational life and are increasingly prone to failure, posing a significant
risk to the station’s reliability. Without these upgrades, the City could potentially face
service disruptions and reduced system resiliency during peak demand or emergency
operating conditions.
To address these critical needs, PWA is proceeding with a comprehensive electrical
rehabilitation of the John Garthe Pump Station. The project scope includes demolition
and removal of the existing, deteriorated electrical system, followed by the installation of
new motor control centers (MCCs), variable frequency drives (VFDs), switchgear, and
associated control panels. In addition, the work will also include trenching and installation
of new underground conduits from the switchgear to the new Southern California Edison
(SCE) transformer, as well as reconnection and integration of all existing wiring, control
systems and instrumentation with the newly installed electrical equipment, to ensure full
operational functionality and compliance with current standards. The project will conclude
with testing, commissioning, and coordination with Southern California Edison (SCE) to
verify proper operation and system performance prior to final acceptance.
Installation of the new system requires electrical hardware and materials to complete the
rehabilitation. This includes galvanized rigid steel conduit, PVC-coated rigid steel conduit,
wire and cable, stainless steel junction boxes and troughs, conduit fittings and
terminations, stainless steel hardware, operator safety devices, and other supporting
installation components. Approval of this item will enable the City to obtain the specialized
electrical hardware required to complete the rehabilitation of the John Garthe Pump
Station. This project will enhance system reliability, reduce maintenance downtime, and
extend the operational life of the facility.
The electrical rehabilitation work will be performed by PWA in-house staff, who are
experienced in managing and implementing electrical and control system improvements
at City water facilities. Performing this work with PWA in-house staff is expected to
accelerate the construction schedule by approximately six months and may result in cost
savings between $500,000 to $700,000 by avoiding contractor labor and overhead
expenses that would otherwise be incurred. Construction and equipment installation is
scheduled to begin in December 2025, with completion anticipated by April 2026. During
construction, there will be no interruption to the water services as a temporary power
source will be installed to maintain continuous operation of the booster station while the
electrical systems are being replaced and commissioned. This approach ensures
uninterrupted water delivery to residents and businesses throughout the rehabilitation
period while allowing staff to safely complete the upgrades.
Ultimately, these improvements will modernize John Garthe Pump Station’s electrical
backbone, enhance energy efficiency, and ensure long-term operational reliability for one
of the City’s most vital water assets. This project represents a proactive approach to
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infrastructure renewal, protecting the City’s assets, and reducing unplanned maintenance
costs.
Invitation for Bids (IFB) No. 25-126 was issued on October 9, 2025, on the City’s online
bid management and publication system, PlanetBids. A summary of vendor participation
and results is as follows:
742 Vendors notified
4 Santa Ana vendors notified
30 Vendors downloaded the bid packet
2 Responsive Bids received
0 Responsive Bids received from Santa Ana vendors
Bids were opened on October 30, 2025 and evaluated (Exhibit 1). Two bids were
submitted by the IFB deadline and were determined to be responsive to the specifications
and met the City’s requirements. The two bids were submitted by B&K Electric Wholesale
in the amount of $316,687 and Blue Angel International LLC in the amount of $403,120.
The bid submitted by B&K Electric Wholesale was determined to be the lowest,
responsible bid, was responsive to the specifications, and met the City’s requirements.
Although the lowest bid identifies estimated quantities for the project, the final amounts
of electrical conduit, wiring, equipment, and associated hardware cannot be definitively
determined until trenching and installation begin. The existing underground electrical
infrastructure at John Garthe Pump Station is several decades old and the exact condition
and configuration of buried utilities will not be fully known until construction is underway.
Additional quantities may be required to accommodate unforeseen field conditions,
relocations, or modifications needed for the integration of the new electrical system.
Therefore, staff recommends awarding a purchase order contract to B&K Electric
Wholesale in a total amount not-to-exceed $500,000 to provide flexibility to address site-
specific conditions and to avoid delays associated with additional procurement requests
during construction. This approach maintains schedule certainty while ensuring the
electrical rehabilitation of John Garthe Pump Station can be completed successfully and
without service interruption.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with the action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds are budgeted and available for expenditure in the following accounts for Fiscal
Year 2025-26. Any remaining balances not expended at the end of the current fiscal year
will be presented to City Council for approval of carryovers to Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
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Fiscal
Year
Accounting
Unit-
Account #
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account Description Amount
2025-26 06017640-
62300 Water
Water Uty Wtr Prod &
Supply, Contract
Services-Professional
$500,000
TOTAL:$500,000
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Abstract of Bids (25-126)
Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director – Public Works Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager
EXHIBIT 1
BIDDER LOCATION TOTAL
B&K Electric Wholesale City of Industry, CA $ 316,687
Blue Angel International LLC Berkeley, CA 403,120$
Electrical Equipment, Hardware, and Related Materials for Garthe Pump Station
(IFB No. 25-126)
ABSTRACT OF BIDS
2