Trackline Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project - Consulting Engineering Services RFQ AwardCity of Dubuque
City Council
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Copyrighted
October 20, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Trackline Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project - Consulting
Engineering Services RFQ Award
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending WHKS & Co for engineering
services for the design of the Track Line Sanitary Sewer
Reconstruction Project and authorizing the City Manager to
negotiate an agreement and execute a contract not to exceed
$500,000 with WHKS & Co for said services.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo
2. 2025-10-15 TrackLineSewerRelocate RFQ-Award StaffMemo
Page 211 of 817
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project [CIP #5581500034]
Consulting Engineering Services RFQ Award
DATE: October 16, 2025
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending WHKS & Co for engineering services for
the design of the Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project and authorizing the
City Manager to negotiate an agreement and execute a contract not to exceed
$500,000 with WHKS & Co for said services.
The project design will be funded with revenue from a State Revolving Fund (SRF)
Planning and Design (P&D) Loan in the amount of $500,000 for the design of the Track
Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project [CIP# 5581500034].
This project provides for the phased relocation of 5,150 feet of the 12-inch diameter
sanitary sewer that runs along the railroad tracks from Hawthorne Street to Fengler
Street. The existing clay tile sewer that was installed in the 1920's still functions;
however, the influx of sand and proximity of the adjacent railroad tracks has increasingly
made the sewer difficult to maintain and indicates that groundwater is infiltrating into the
pipe. The sewer has multiple failing sections and is undersized from hydraulic modeling
results. Proximity to the adjacent railroad prohibits access for maintenance or
rehabilitation activities. The sewer requires relocation to City right of way, with
redirection of private laterals. The project is located adjacent to Consent Decree
Sewershed 10. The funding request will provide for the initial phase design, permitting,
and easement acquisition for the relocation of the track line sewer located between
Hawthorne St and Roosevelt St.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Page 212 of 817
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Maxwell O'Brien, Civil Engineer
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Maxwell O'Brien, Engineering
Charlie Gau, Engineering
Nate Kieffer, Engineering
Kristin Hill, Communications
Jeff Dozbaba, Housing
I
Page 213 of 817
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: October 15, 2025
Dubuque
AII•AmeNn City
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
SUBJECT: Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project [CIP #5581500034]
Consulting Engineering Services RFQ Award
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to seek authorization to negotiate and enter into contract
negotiations with WHKS & Co to provide engineering services for the Track Line Sanitary
Sewer Reconstruction Project.
BACKGROUND
The Fiscal Year 2026 proposed CIP Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project
budget includes a total budget $5,000,000 for the project design and construction, with
revenue from State Revolving Fund Loans and Sanitary Sewer Construction Funds. The
initial project efforts in FY26 will be for the design and permitting of the project.
This project provides for the phased relocation of 5,150 feet of the 12-inch diameter
sanitary sewer that runs along the railroad tracks from Hawthorne Street to Fengler
Street. The existing clay tile sewer that was installed in the 1920's still functions; however,
the influx of sand and proximity of the adjacent railroad tracks has increasingly made the
sewer difficult to maintain and indicates that groundwater is infiltrating into the pipe. The
sewer has multiple failing sections and is undersized from hydraulic modeling results.
Proximity to the adjacent railroad prohibits access for maintenance or rehabilitation
activities. The sewer requires relocation to City right of way, with redirection of private
laterals. The project is located adjacent to Consent Decree Sewershed 10. The funding
request will provide for the initial phase design, permitting, and easement acquisition for
the relocation of the track line sewer located between Hawthorne St and Roosevelt St.
On August 4, 2025, the City advertised a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to retain a
professional service consultant to aid the to assist with the development of the Track Line
Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project.
Page 214 of 817
DISCUSSION
The City received five (5) RFQ responses by the September 18, 2025, deadline. The
respondents to the RFQ consisted of: WHKS & Co (Dubuque, IA), Shive Hattery
Architecture + Engineering (Cedar Rapids, IA), Origin Design (Dubuque, IA), MSA
(Dubuque, IA), and Veenstra & Kimm Inc (Des Moines, IA).
The qualifications review committee consisted of the following staff members:
1. Maxwell O'Brien, Engineering (City Project Manager for project)
2. Charlie Gau, Engineering
3. Nate Kieffer, Engineering
4. Kristin Hill, Public Information Office
5. Jeff Dozbaba, Housing
WHKS & Co, Shive Hattery Architecture + Engineering, and MSA were identified as the
3 highest scoring firms after review of the written submittals and were selected for shortlist
interview, which were held on October 1, 2025 and October 7, 2025. The consensus of
the Committee was that WHKS & Co demonstrated:
• Thorough understanding of the City's overall project objectives and scope, as well
as the long-term goals of the sanitary sewer system.
• Highest level of interest in the project along with creativity and problem -solving
ability reflected by the prepared interviewed materials and post interview
discussions.
• Experience of the project team working together on similar projects with Iowa
municipalities.
• Highest level of confidence in the ability of project team to demonstrate initiative,
motivation and knowledge as an indication of their desire to work with the City of
Dubuque.
RECOMMENDATION
The qualifications review committee recommends that the City enter into contract
negotiations with WHKS & Co for engineering services for the design of the Track Line
Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project. The specific scope of services will be negotiated.
BUDGET IMPACT
The project design will be funded with revenue from an State Revolving Fund (SRF)
Planning and Design (P&D) Loan in the amount of $500,000 for the design of the Track
Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project [CIP# 5581500034]. The specific design fee
will be negotiated.
2
Page 215 of 817
The total SRF Planning and Design loan request that was approved by Council during the
April 7, 2025 meeting is summarized as follows:
Description
Estimate
Administrative, Financial & Legal expenses
$ 20,000
Engineering Planning & Design expenses
$ 360,000
Land (only after Environmental Review Clears)
$ 100,000
Equipment
$ 20,000
Total Planning & Design Loan Request
$ 500,000
The total project funding requested in the FY26 CIP budget is summarized as follows:
Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project Funding (CIP #5581500034)
Fund
FY26
FY27
FY28
FY29
FY30
Source
SRF Loan
$ 500,00
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$1,000,000
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request the recommendation of WHKS & Co. for engineering services for
the design of the Track Line Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction Project and to authorize the
City Manager to negotiate an agreement and execute a contract not to exceed $500,000
with WHKS & Co for said services.
Prepared by Maxwell O'Brien, Civil Engineer
cc: Jenny Larson, Director of Finance and Budget
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Maxwell O'Brien, Engineering
Charlie Gau, Engineering
Nate Kieffer, Engineering
Kristin Hill, Public Information Office
Jeff Dozbaba, Housing
3
Page 216 of 817