SCW, Filanc, TC selected for FPUD on-call emergency pipe repair

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Three companies have been selected to perform on-call emergency pipeline repair if the Fallbrook Public Utility District requires such work.

FPUD’s board voted 5-0, March 27, to establish a list of qualified contractors who can be utilized to augment FPUD’s capacity to restore water service in the event of pipeline failures. The three companies on the list are SCW Contracting Corporation, J.R. Filanc Construction Company, Inc., and TC Construction Company, Inc.

On numerous recent occasions, significant pipeline failures have required extensive emergency repair to maintain service. FPUD’s maintenance and repair crews keep the water systems functional and respond to emergencies when they occur, but if emergency repairs require more resources and time, qualified contractors may need to assist on short notice.

On Feb. 7, FPUD staff issued a request for proposals seeking qualified contractors with demonstrated experience to augment FPUD staff’s capacity to restore water service in the event of emergency pipeline breaks including during the night and on weekends. Three proposals were received by the March 8 deadline and evaluated by FPUD staff, and all three proposals met the qualifications standards.

SCW Contracting Corporation is headquartered in Rainbow. J.R. Filanc Construction Company is based in Escondido. The TC Construction Company office is in Santee.

The initial agreements will be for one year with the contractor being paid on a time and materials basis. The contracts may be renewed for up to four additional one-year periods without FPUD board approval.

An emergency is defined as an unexpected occurrence which requires immediate action to prevent or mitigate the loss of essential public services. In the event of an emergency, FPUD’s general manager or his designee may take immediate action directly related to the emergency and procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies without undergoing the contract bid process or obtaining board approval.

The general manager must report to the board at the next board meeting and provide the reasons justifying the emergency action. The cost of each individual contracted emergency repair will be brought to the board after the work is completed.

The on-call contractors will be used on a rotating schedule with the contractor first in line being offered the first right of refusal for the work. Should the contractor who is first in line not accept the work, or not be available to perform the job, the next contractor in line will be offered the work.

After a job has been accepted and completed by the contractor, that contractor will be placed last in line and rotated up the list as work is accepted by other contractors. FPUD will maintain an after-project completion report reviewing the reasonableness of cost and quality of performance to ensure that each contractor continues to provide the district with high quality work.