Total Project Cost Now $16.5-million; Metcalf & Eddy Bid "Most Advantageous" Based on the results of the bids for the design-build-operate contract for the wastewater project, the total cost of the Town's proposed 500,000-gallon-per-day sewer system has increased from an engineers' estimate of $15-million to $16.5-million-- an increase of $1.5-million or 10%. $600,000 of this cost increase is due to the 22% increase-- from 350 to 430-- in the number of connections for the 500,000 GPD system, based on the Town's survey of property owners in the proposed district. click for details.

As summarized in the attached table, the unit cost for construction has increased from the $30 per gallon-per-day figure (which the Town has been using since 1997) to $33 per gallon per day-- a 10% increase.

For a 3-bedroom home, this will mean a betterment assessment of $544.50 per year, rather than $495.00, as previously predicted. The total annual costs for that three-bedroom home are estimated to increase from $775.50-- as previously estimated-- to $876.48 per year.

Accordingly, the motion in STM Article 2-- which asks the Town to vote " to appropriate the sum of $14,961,000, or any greater or lesser amount" [emphasis added]-- will require a greater amount: $16,499,500.

STM-3 proposes to authorize a DBO contract for up to 20 years. That contract will be with Metcalf & Eddy, whose proposal has been determined to be "most advantageous," following separate review of the technical, business, price proposals submitted last month by the four bidders. M&E's low bid was $14,536,500 for 350 connections, plus $601,000 for another 80, for a total of $15,137,500. The Town Manager is filing a supplemental funding request under DEP's State Revolving Fund loan program, to secure $1.5-million under the current 0% interest rate loan program. DEP has indicated to us that other communities on the FY 2001 funding list may not have their local appropriations in place by the June 30, 2001 deadline, so additional 0% funds are likely.

The Town Manager has made the preliminary determination, pursuant to Section 4 of Chapter 191 of the Acts of 2000, that the proposal submitted by Metcalf & Eddy is the most advantageous proposal to the Town, taking into consideration price, estimated life-cycle costs and other evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals. The actual award of the contract to Metcalf & Eddy is subject to the successful negotiation of all non-mandatory contract terms. In addition, the award of the contract is subject to approval of the Board of Selectmen, and because the contract is for a term in excess of five years, the authorization of Town Meeting under STM Art

Description of
the Proposed Wastewater Treament System

Metcalf & Eddy Overview

Conceptual Design of Proposed Wastewater Treatment Facility