Request is made to reject all bids received in response to Invitation for Bids #F9904-82 for exterior signage at the Sunnyvale Environmental Center.

Many Sunnyvale residents, employees of Sunnyvale businesses, and school groups visit the four environmental facilities north of Caribbean Drive that are owned and/or operated by the City. These facilities are the Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), Sunnyvale Landfill, Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station®, and Baylands Park.

The City is presently implementing the Environmental Facilities Interpretation Project which establishes physical improvements to link these facilities, showcase how they complement each other, and demonstrate Sunnyvale’s commitment to the environment. Staff has identified a need for this group of facilities to have a single, unifying name and also directional signs, entrance signs, and educational signs that identify and explain equipment, processes and results.

With the assistance of a design consultant, drawings, plans and specifications were developed for an extensive collection of interrelated signs for these facilities: Eighteen at the WPCP, ten at the SMaRT Station® and twelve along the Baylands Park trails. Invitation for Bids #F9904-82 was made available to thirteen Bay Area sign fabricators. Two bids were received:

Bidders Total Bid

1. Thomas-Swan Sign Co., Inc., of San Francisco$95,963
2. General Graphic Services, Inc., of San Francisco$96,046

The bids greatly exceed the available budget of approximately $35,000, and staff recommends rejecting both bids.

Staff will meet with the sign designer and local sign fabricators to develop a more cost effective approach, and the project will be rebid later this calendar year.

It is anticipated that a redesign of sign material and construction requirements will result in an equally effective signage system at significant cost savings.

It is recommended that Council reject both bids received in response to Invitation for Bids #F9904-82 and authorize the Purchasing Officer to rebid this project following a revision of bid specifications.

Prepared by:

Elaine Wesely
Purchasing Officer

Reviewed by:

Mary Bradley
Director of Finance

Reviewed by:

Marvin A. Rose
Director of Public Works

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager