Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Boiler Replacement Project - Consulting Engineering Design Services Contract Award RecommendationCity of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS # 5.
Copyrighted
August 3, 2026
ITEM TITLE: Eagle Point Water Treatment Plant Boiler Replacement
Project - Consulting Engineering Design Services Contract
Award Recommendation
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval of Strand
Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin for design of the
Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project (CIP Nos.
4281000054 and 4281000057) following a review of
submitted qualifications as a part of a request for
qualifications (RFQ) process and to request authorization
from City Council to enter into contract negotiations to
provide professional design services for the project.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project - Authorization to Award
Engineering Design Services Contract
2. EP WTP Boiler Repl Authorize Design Award RFQ Memo
Page 142 of 1281
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project - Authorization to Award
Engineering Design Services Contract
DATE: July 27, 2026
Water Department Director Christopher Lester is recommending City Council approval
of Strand Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin for design of the Eagle Point WTP
Boiler Replacement Project (CIP Nos. 4281000054 and 4281000057) following a review
of submitted qualifications as a part of a request for qualifications (RFQ) process and to
request authorization from City Council to enter into contract negotiations to provide
professional design services for the project.
Due to timing of the project, the funding for this project will be subject to the first budget
amendment in FY27.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Y
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Chris Lester, Water Department Director
Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Justin Hogan, Facilities Manager (Engineering)
Eldon Schneider, Water Project Supervisor
Nick Connolly, Plant Operations Supervisor
Page 143 of 1281
THE CITY OF
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Lester, Water Department Director
DATE: July 22, 2026
SUBJECT: Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project - Authorization to Award
Engineering Design Services Contract
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend Strand Associates, Inc. of Madison,
Wisconsin for design of the Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project (CIP Nos.
4281000054 and 4281000057) following a review of submitted qualifications as a part of a
request for qualifications (RFQ) process and to request authorization from City Council to enter
into contract negotiations to provide professional design services for the project.
Due to timing of the project, the funding for this project will be subject to the first budget
amendment in FY27.
BACKGROUND
This project provides funding for replacement of the aging boilers at the Eagle Point WTP. The
existing boilers were installed in 1995 and are at the end of their service life. New boilers will be
more fuel efficient and will contribute to less carbon emissions. Initial conversations with
engineers, vendors, and insurance inspectors has brought to light the need for a replacement
boiler system within the next 5 years following some initial repairs. Changes to HVAC/Boiler
codes will require changes to the equipment room at the facility to be compliant with said codes.
The FY26 CIP Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project (CIP Nos. 4281000054 and
4281000057) budget includes a total budget $226,667.00 for existing equipment repairs and for
the study and design of a replacement boiler project, with funding through the Water
Construction Fund. The repairs, study, and design associated with the project are expected to
take place within FY26 and FY27.
FY26 funding is planned to be used to hire a consulting engineer to appropriately size and then
design a system to replace the boilers in the main plant and the sludge plant buildings.
The process was started in early 2026 with a study phase to identify heating demands to
appropriately size the boilers and process demand has changed since initial installation. The
study evaluated if the current space is adequate to enable a retrofit, or if a new remote location
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outside of the existing building extents would be required. It also evaluated if the currently
separate systems at the sludge plant and main plant could be effectively combined.
MODUS Engineering prepared and submitted the results of that Study to Water Department
staff. A Selected Alternative have been established for use in the next design phase. The scope
is expected to include:
— Main Plant architectural updates to allow second means of egress from boiler room.
— Main Plant replacement of steam boilers with hot water boilers (2x at 2,500 MBtu each
and 1x at 399 MBtu).
— Main Plant replacement of steam piping and terminal units with hot water piping and
terminal units.
— Sludge Plant replacement of steam boiler with hot water boilers (4x at 399 MBtu, each)
— Sludge Plant replacement of steam piping and terminal units with hot water piping and
terminal units.
The design will focus on creating design and construction documents necessary for bidding and
construction activities.
Future funding will be required for construction costs to retrofit the building to bring it up to
current code or construct a new structure to house the replacement equipment, as designed.
The Water Department plans to request additional funds in FY28 or FY29 to be able to complete
construction of the boiler project as the operability conditions of the existing boilers warrants.
A design services RFQ was authorized by City Council and issued on June 1, 2026 with the
input of various City staff members making up the RFQ Committee. The RFQ Committee
consisted of the following members:
— Chris Lester, Water, Department Director
— Jennifer Larson, Finance, Chief Financial Officer
— Eldon Schneider, Water (Project Supervisor for the Project)
— Nick Connolly, Water
— Justin Hogan, Facilities Manager (Engineering)
Bidding and Negotiation, and Construction Administration services will not be included in the
proposal requests. We expect that future construction -focused phases will be awarded once a
construction timeframe is established.
DISCUSSION
Qualifications proposals were received on July 2, 2026 from two firms:
— Origin Design Co. of Dubuque, Iowa (teamed with MODUS Engineering of Des, Moines,
Iowa)
— Strand Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin
The team reviewed qualifications and shortlisted the two firms to interview. Based on the written
proposals and interviews, the RFQ Committee formulated a recommendation to enter into
negotiations with Strand Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin.
2
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PROJECT SCHEDULE
The desired project schedule for the initial phase is as follows:
City Council Authorizes Soliciting Design Services RFQ
June 1, 2026
City Advertises Design Services RFQ
June 3, 2026
Respondent Questions Due
June 18, 2026
Response Addendum Due
June 25, 2026
Respondent Qualifications Due
July 2, 2026
RFQ Committee Reviews Responses and Prepares Shortlist
July 9, 2026
RFQ Committee Completes Shortlist Interviews
July 14-15, 2026
RFQ Committee Completes Recommendation to City Manager
July 23, 2026
City Council Authorizes Design Services Award
August 3, 2026
RFQ Committee and Engineer Prepare Contract Scope
August 21, 2026
RFQ Committee Completes Recommendation to City Manager
August 28, 2026
City Council Authorizes Design Services Agreement September 7, 2026
Design Engineer Completes Final Design Documents
January 29, 2027
BUDGET IMPACT
The original estimate of probable cost for the Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project (CIP
No. 4281000054 and 4281000057) is provided as follows:
Description
Cost Estimate
Legal Expenses
$0.00
Land and Easements
$0.00
Professional Services (Report or Planning)
$20,000.00
Professional Services (Design)
$170,000.00
Professional Services (Construction)
$70,000.00
Construction
$1,310,000.00
Main Plant
$1, 000, 000.00
Sludge Plant
$310, 000.00
Equipment
$35,000.00
Main Plant Make -Up Tank Repairs
$15,000.00
Sludge Plant Make -Up Tank Repairs
$10,000.00
Circulation Pump Repairs
$10,000.00
Contingency
$321,667.00
Total Estimated Project Cost
$1,926,667.00
3
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Budgeted Expenses for the Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement Project (CIP No. 4281000054
and 4281000057) are provided as follows:
CIP
Fund
Budgeted Expenses
Amount
4281000054
WCF
Equipment
$8,779.00
4281000057
WCF (FY26 Carry-
Equipment and
Consulting Engineer
$217,898.00
Over)
(Design Phase)
Total Project Budgeted Expenses
$226,667.00
Proposed Future FY Additions
TBD
WCF
Consulting Engineer
$70,000.00
Construction Phase
TBD
WCF
Construction
$1,630,000.00
Total Project Budgeted Expenses (pending Future FY Budget
$1,926,667.00
Approval
The Project estimate related to repairs and design, as currently available in budgeted funding,
can be summarized as follows:
Description
Award
Equipment
Main Plant Make -Up Tank Repairs
$15,000.00
Sludge Plant Make -Up Tank Repairs
$10,000.00
Circulation Pump Repairs
$10,000.00
Professional Services (Report or Planning) - ACTUAL
$17,960.00
Professional Services (Design)
$170,000.00
Contingency
$3,707.00
Total Project Cost
$226,667.00
The proposed design phase funds will be pulled from the currently available FY26 Consulting
Engineer (Design Phase) line item which has a current available expense value of $194,909.50
(as of 06/30/2026).
0
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ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request that the City Council accept the RFQ Committee recommendation Strand
Associates, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin for design of the Eagle Point WTP Boiler Replacement
Project (CIP Nos. 4281000054 and 4281000057) following a review of submitted qualifications
as a part of a request for qualifications (RFQ) process and that the City Council authorize the
City Manager to enter into contract negotiations to provide professional design services for the
project.
Due to timing of the project, the funding for this project will be subject to the first budget
amendment in FY27.
Prepared by Eldon Schneider, Water Project Supervisor
cc: Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Justin Hogan, Facilities Manager (Engineering)
Eldon Schneider, Water Project Supervisor
Nick Connolly, Plant Operations Supervisor
5
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