Agenda Item No.

(3)

To: Building and Operating Committee/Committee of the Whole

Meeting of June 21, 2018

From: John R. Eberle, Deputy District Engineer

Ewa Z. Bauer-Furbush, District Engineer
Denis J. Mulligan, General Manager

Subject: APPROVE ACTIONS RELATIVE TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

AGREEMENT NO. 2013-B-8, GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE MAIN CABLE
ACCESS SYSTEM DESIGN SERVICES, WITH NCM ENGINEERING
CORPORATION, FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAIN CABLE
TRAVELER TROLLEY SYSTEM TESTING PROGRAM

Recommendation
The Building and Operating Committee recommends that the Board of Directors approve actions
relative to the Professional Services Agreement (PSA) No. 2013-B-8, Golden Gate Bridge Main
Cable Access System, with NCM Engineering Corporation, Gold River, California, as follows:
1. Authorize execution of the Tenth Amendment to PSA No. 2013-B-8 in a not-to-exceed
amount of $173,133, for developing a traveler trolley system testing program, including
testing technical specifications and drawings; and,

2. Establish a contingency for this amendment in the amount of $34,626;

with the understanding that sufficient funds to finance the Tenth Amendment to PSA No. 2013-B-
8 and its contingency are available in the budget for the Main Cable Access Project (Project
#9826).

This matter will be presented to the Board of Directors at its June 22, 2018 meeting for appropriate
action.

Summary
The unique configuration and geometry of the Golden Gate Suspension Bridge Main Cables
requires development of a bridge-specific design of the maintenance access platforms to be used
for performing maintenance repairs and painting on the inclined upper portions of the Main Cables.
By Resolution No. 2013-088, the Board authorized execution of Professional Services Agreement
(PSA) No. 2013-B-8, Golden Gate Bridge Main Cable Access System Design Services, with NCM
Engineering Corporation, to conduct a type selection of Main Cable access systems and to develop
a detailed design of the selected system, including drawings and technical specifications. The

BOX 9000, PRESIDIO STATION  SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129-0601

Building and Operating Committee/Committee of the Whole Agenda Item No. (3)
Meeting of June 21, 2018 Page 2

design also includes the replacement of the Main Cable steel hand ropes and supporting stanchions
that have been determined to have reached the end of their useful life.
The consultant has completed the design of the selected Main Cable access system, which consists
of 65-foot long and 9.7-foot wide caged aluminum platforms with trolley wheel assemblies
(travelers) rolling on the Main Cable steel hand ropes. The trolley wheels are shaped with a trough
that fits snugly around the steel hand ropes. The steel ropes are supported by steel stanchions
spaced at fifty feet on center, which are clamped onto the hand ropes and are attached to the Main
Cable cable bands. The travelers will be braced against the Main Cables for stability under wind
and unbalanced loading within the traveler unit. The travelers will be moved along the Main Cables
by an onboard air powered motored winch and pulley system.
As the moving traveler approaches the stanchions, the trolley wheels must transition from the
flexible steel ropes to rigid points over temporary hand rope supports and over the stanchions. The
slope of the steel ropes along the Main Cables varies from 0 to 30 degrees. The steel ropes will
deflect to a different degree under the weight of the traveler depending on the location of the trolley
wheels between stanchions and the slope of the steel ropes. The correct operation of the traveler
trolley wheels over the steel ropes and the stanchions at different degrees of the cable slope is
critical to the proper functioning of the traveler.

Staff proposes that a mock-up that replicates the hand ropes and their slope, the stanchions and the
traveler trolley system loaded with the anticipated weight of traveler be fabricated and physically
tested prior to advertising of a contract to construct the project. The testing will allow staff to
determine whether any modifications to the design of tested elements should be made to correct
any issues adversely affecting the trolley operation.

It is proposed that the development of a testing program, consisting of mock-up design, testing
protocol, technical plans, specifications, and cost estimate for construction and testing of the mock-
up system, be added to the design consultant’s scope of work. The consultant’s scope of work will
include
 Development of test acceptance criteria.
 Performing an analysis to determine steel cable scaling requirements and boundary
conditions.
 Designing elements of the mock-up, including (1) a platform/cart for mounting the traveler
wheel trolleys in the same configuration and spacing as detailed in the traveler design, and
capable to carry an applied weight equivalent to the traveler weight anticipated during
repositioning on the Bridge; (2) support frames that simulate the Main Cable cable bands
for the attachment of stanchions and temporary hand rope supports; and, (3) anchorage
frames for the attachment of the ends of hand ropes and hoist assembly powered by an air
motor that will be used to pull the platform/cart along the test mock-up.

The test setup will be designed to replicate the most critical steel hand rope slope.

The Engineering staff has requested, and negotiated with the consultant, the cost of the additional
services as presented in this report in an amount not to exceed $173,133. Staff has determined that
this price is reasonable based on the scope of work and cost data for previous similar engineering
services provided by consultants for other District projects. The consultant will be compensated
for actual time expended and expenses incurred, plus a fixed fee up to the not to exceed authorized
amount. Considering variable factors influencing the performance of the wheel trolley/steel
Building and Operating Committee/Committee of the Whole Agenda Item No. (3)
Meeting of June 21, 2018 Page 3

rope/stanchion interactions, staff recommends that a contingency amount of $34,636 representing

20% of the Tenth Amendment proposed amount be established to provide for any changes that
will be required as the testing design is developed.
Staff recommends that the Building and Operating Committee recommend that the Board of
Directors authorize execution of the proposed Tenth Amendment to PSA No. 2013-B-8 and its
contingency.
Fiscal Impact

The Main Cable Access Project (Project #9826) is included in the FY 17/18 Bridge Division
Capital Budget at a total budget of $13,180,000 and is 100% District funded.
By Resolution No. 2013-088, the Board authorized execution of a Professional Services
Agreement with NCM Engineer Corporation, PSA No. 2013-B-8, Golden Gate Bridge Main Cable
Access System Design Services, in the amount of $799,756, and approved the contingency for this
PSA in the amount of $79,976. Subsequently, the PSA contingency in the amount of $79,976 was
allocated to finance the Third and Fourth Amendment to the PSA. By Resolution No. 2016-090,
the Board approved the Seventh Amendments to the PSA in the amount of $95,000. Sufficient
funds are available in the FY 17/18 project budget to finance the proposed Tenth Amendment in
the amount of $173,133 and its contingency in the amount of $34,626.

The to-date history of PSA No. 2013-B-8, including amendments and costs, is as follows:

DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT

APPROVED
PSA No. 9/20/2013 Original Contract PSA No. $799,756.00
2013-B-8 2013-B-8, Main Cable
Access System Design
Services; Resolution No.
2013-088
1st Amendment 11/1/2014 No cost time extension $0
2nd Amendment 12/31/2014 No cost time extension $0
3rd Amendment 3/1/2015 Wind analysis of system $30,662.40
4th Amendment 7/27/2015 Changes to the design due to $48,337.60
the wind analysis
5th Amendment 10/29/2015 No cost time extension $0
6th Amendment 5/12/2016 No cost time extension $0
7th Amendment 12/16/2016 Conversion and coordination $95,000.00
of special provisions and
drawings
8th Amendment 4/8/2017 No cost time extension $0
9th Amendment 13/30/2017 No cost time extension $0
Proposed 10th Amendment Pending Traveler mock up testing $173,132.73
design
PROPOSED TOTAL PSA $1,146.888.73
AMOUNT