The request of staff for the City Council is to review and consider for approval the change order submitted by Morelli Landscaping Inc., in the amount not to exceed $546,543 for the 2014/2015 US Hwy 19 Landscape Project Phase 1.   

As City Council may recall, elements of this project include the construction of landscaping improvements in selected center medians on US Hwy 19 within the City's Corporate Limits.  The selected medians are at the northern City limits from Bellview Avenue to Avery Road. The southern City Limits north of Trouble Creek Road and the median located south of Main Street.  The landscaping of the remaining center medians was expected to be completed in a phase 2 project subsequent to the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) approval of funds to the City allocated under the Highway Landscape Reimbursement Grant and a signed maintenance memorandum of agreement. 

As City Council is aware, reimbursement funding in the amount of $546,543 for the phase 2 portion of the project has been approved by FDOT. The Phase 1 portion of the project is ongoing and has not been closed out due to maintenance activities included in the contract.  Construction Services staff contacted the contractor of the phase 1 project, Morelli Landscaping Inc., to see if they were capable of performing the additional work as called out in phase 2 of landscape plantings. The contractor reviewed the quantities and has agreed to the same unit pricing, terms, and conditions under the current ITB No. 16-014 Contract Agreement for Phase 1 in the form of a contract change order.   As City Council may recall, the Phase 1 ITB was competitively bid by City Staff and approved by City Council on July 5, 2016.  The FDOT has been informed of the change order process and has no objections under the guidelines for grant reimbursement.