City staff asked the commission to approve a shortlist and ranking of firms for a continuing municipal engineering design contract related to southwest sewer upgrades intended to serve growth in the city’s southwest sector.

The project scope described by staff includes roughly 1.5 miles of 20-inch sewer force main, upsizing existing pumps and adding a third pump at the English Oaks lift station, and installing a generator and associated equipment. The city issued a request for qualifications under Florida’s CCNA and formed a five-person selection committee from water-utilities staff; seven responses were received.

Staff reported Wright-Pierce of Tampa as the top-ranked firm. Commissioners were asked to approve the rankings and authorize staff to negotiate with the top-ranked firm; once the city successfully negotiates terms the negotiated agreement will return to the commission for final approval and issuance of a notice to proceed. Staff estimated that design will take about 18 months.

No final design contract was approved in the excerpt; the commission’s action requested in the agenda was approval of the rankings and delegated authority to begin negotiations.