Emergency Restoration & Remediation
Critical response services for the City’s 54 public buildings and 520-mile sewer infrastructure.
Project Introduction
The City of Berkeley Public Works Operations Division requires specialized restoration companies to support municipal operations during emergencies. This requirement stems from the City’s duty to maintain critical infrastructure, including 520 miles of sewer main and 54 diverse public buildings ranging from administrative centers to public libraries.
"On-call" means the contractor must be available 24/7/365 to begin work immediately upon notification. In this RFP, the City mandates that the contractor arrive at the site within 90 minutes of the initial service call.
The City intends to select two vendors to ensure redundancy and rapid response capacity. Each vendor will be awarded a three-year contract with a ceiling of $150,000, ensuring the City has immediate access to professional remediation without needing to bid individual small-scale emergency tasks.
Under Berkeley municipal code effective Jan 1, 2022, local businesses receive a 5% price preference. This means for evaluation purposes, a local vendor's bid price is treated as 5% lower than actually quoted, helping Berkeley tax dollars stay within the community.
Administrative Summary
- Department Public Works (PW)
- Solicitation # 22-11522-C
- Max Duration 7 Years (Total)
Public Works: The department responsible for the City’s physical environment, including streets, sewers, and buildings.
Comprehensive Scope of Work
Required Technical Services & Performance Standards
- Hazardous Wastewater Mitigation: Immediate extraction and professional remediation of water or raw sewage leaks. This includes the removal of standing "Category 3" (highly contaminated) water from basements, crawlspaces, and public thoroughfares to prevent disease transmission and environmental damage.
- Advanced Structural Dehumidification: Implementation of industrial-grade LGR (Low Grain Refrigerant) dehumidifiers and high-velocity air movers. Contractors must monitor psychrometric readings every 24 hours to ensure building materials return to pre-loss moisture levels, preventing structural rot and warping.
- Certified Microbial Remediation: Identification and containment of mold growth resulting from water intrusion. This includes the use of HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration and negative air pressure zones to ensure spores are not cross-contaminated during the removal of affected drywall and insulation.
- Asset Protection and Contents Logistics: Professional "pack-out" services where City property (furniture, electronics, sensitive records) is inventoried, packed, and moved to secure off-site storage. Items must be cleaned, deodorized, and treated with antimicrobial agents where necessary before being returned.
- Biological Sanitization Protocols: Deep cleaning and disinfecting of upholstery, high-traffic flooring (including vinyl, carpet, and wood), and vertical surfaces using EPA-approved antimicrobial treatments. This service is critical for restoring indoor air quality and surface safety following fire, smoke, or sewage events.
- Thermal Deodorization and Smoke Removal: Neutralization of persistent odors caused by fire or biological decay using hydroxyl generators or thermal fogging. The contractor must ensure public buildings are rendered habitable without lingering chemical or biological scents.
- Detailed Documentation and Record Keeping: Provision of comprehensive project diaries for every incident. These reports must include high-resolution photo documentation, moisture maps, equipment logs, and disposal records to support the City’s financial auditing and insurance recovery efforts.
The science of drying. In restoration, this involves measuring the temperature and relative humidity of the air to determine if drying equipment is working efficiently and to prevent secondary damage like mold.
Selection & Evaluation
A selection committee will evaluate all proposals based on the following weighted criteria to ensure the highest quality of service for Berkeley residents.
Expertise &
References
40 Points
Verification of firm history, certifications (IICRC), and positive performance evaluations from other public agencies or municipalities.
Project
Approach
30 Points
Assessment of the firm's capacity to meet the 1.5-hour response mandate and their internal strategy for complex hazardous waste handling.
Proposed
Costs
30 Points
Review of hourly labor rates and equipment rental schedules, adjusted for the Berkeley Local Vendor Preference where applicable.