Frontera Force Main Emergency Contract – Phase 3

The final phase involved repairs to the force mains. Preconstruction services included developing the PMP and other management plans, regularly scheduled project meetings and workshops, constructability reviews, plant operations reviews, biddability reviews, value engineering, and coordinating design development submittals. Phase 3 included preparing and maintaining a project cost model that required sharing open-book cost estimates and providing owner evaluation of construction phasing, project budget, and cash flow. Identifying project permitting requirements and determining the timing of permitting activities were required. The team managed all field operations, resource acquisition, budget, pay applications, and billing management, leading the design side and emergency work operations, and coordinating progress and design meetings with the owner and engineers.
ORC actively collaborated delivering greater cost control, enhanced transparency, and improved outcomes through early stakeholder involvement. The design phase, from project initiation to pipe ordering, was completed in six months and included geotechnical analysis, utility investigation, pressure and flow calculations, easement acquisition, and traffic control plans. These collaborations with EPWater resulted in redesigns that optimized costs and functionality.
Installation methods were customized to navigate existing utilities, infrastructure, buildings, homes, and challenging topography. Additional work included new header pipe and valve installations at a lift station and pump station, deep open cut pipe installations, large utility under crossings, large diameter hot taps, bypass pumping, heavy ground dewatering, and street restoration.
Most of the project was installed in highly congested areas, including TxDOT rights-of-way, requiring extensive traffic control and coordination with local businesses and residents. By breaking the project into phases and employing various installation techniques, we ensured minimal disruption and maintained a clear understanding of project scope and expectations from the outset. Planning and execution reduced risks and enabled more accurate scheduling and budgeting, highlighting the success and value of ORC’s collaborative approach.