Agenda Item AGENDA STAFF REPORT ASR Control 25-000434
MEETING DATE:	09/23/25
legal entity taking action:	Board of Supervisors
board of supervisors district(s):	5
SUBMITTING Agency/Department:	John Wayne Airport (Approved)
Department contact person(s):	Charlene Reynolds (949) 252-5183
	Komal Kumar (949) 252-5166

Subject: Award Contract for Construction Services with Swinerton Builders

ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

Concur

Approved Agreement to Form

Discussion

3 Votes Board Majority

Budgeted: Yes

Current Year Cost: $6,741,028

Annual Cost: FY 2026-27 $30,542,683
FY 2027-28 $17,169,644

Staffing Impact:

# of Positions:

Sole Source: No

Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

Funding Source: See Financial Impact Section	County Audit in last 3 years: No
Levine Act Review Completed: Yes

Prior Board Action: 12/19/2023 #21

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

Find that the Project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Class 2 (Replacement or Reconstruction) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15302.

Award a contract to Swinerton Builders for Construction Services to provide Airport Power Generation and Distribution Upgrades Phase 1, effective upon execution of all necessary signatures, to be completed within 1022 days of the effective date of the Notice to Proceed for a Total Contract Price of $54,453,355.

Authorize the Airport Director or designee to execute the contract with Swinerton Builders.

SUMMARY:

Award of the contract to Swinerton Builders for Phase 1 of the John Wayne Airport Power Generation and Distribution Upgrades Project will provide for the replacement of the aging main terminal medium-voltage switchgear and five unit substations to support long-term operational efficiency and system reliability.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

John Wayne Airport (JWA) is Orange County's only commercial airport. Serving over three million people across 34 cities, JWA served over 11 million passengers in 2024.

A prior condition and resiliency assessment identified concerns and deficiencies associated with JWA's electrical distribution system, referred to as the Power Distribution Program (PDP). The current project is the first phase of implementation of the PDP, and focuses on upgrades to the terminal electrical distribution system and the proactive replacement of aging infrastructure.

The Airport Power Generation and Distribution Upgrades Phase 1 (Project) proposes to replace the aging main terminal medium-voltage switchgear and the five unit substations – one in Terminal A, two in Terminal B, one in Parking A2, and one in Parking B2, which have over 20 years of use and are nearing the end of their design life. The terminals' 12-kilovolt electrical distribution systems will be re-fed from the new switchgear to the unit substations. Additionally, the Project includes upgrades to the existing emergency power systems, including the replacement of outdated Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) in Terminals A and B.

On December 19, 2023, the Board of Supervisors (Board) selected Swinerton Builders for Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Services for the Project, in an amount not to exceed $14,194,585. This total includes Pre-Construction Services valued at $1,794,585 and long lead item early procurement valued at $12,400,000.

JWA is now recommending that the Board award Contract MA-280-25011401 (Contract) to Swinerton Builders for Construction Services for the Project, effective upon execution of all necessary signatures, to be completed within 1022 days of the effective date of the Notice to Proceed, for a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $54,453,355.

JWA procured Services for this Project in accordance with the 2020 Design and Construction Procurement Policy Manual (DCPM), Section 5.6. The Orange County Preference Policy is not applicable to contracts procured in accordance with the DCPM.

The Contractor's license number was verified as current and active through the California Contractors State License Board database on April 3, 2025. A copy of the verification is on file. The Contractor is based in Contra Costa County.

JWA has conducted due diligence on the Contractor. Reference checks were satisfactory and completed with SC Consulting, Paslay Group, and Long Beach Airport regarding similar projects.

An analysis was completed to verify whether the Contract provides the county with persons specially trained, experienced, expert, and competent to perform special services in accordance with the law.

This Contract includes subcontractors. See Attachment B for information regarding subcontractors and Contract Summary Form.

Compliance with CEQA: The proposed Project is Categorically Exempt (Class 2) from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15302, because it provides for the replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

Appropriations for this Contract are included in Fund 281, Airport Construction Fund, FY 2025-26 Budget and will be included in the budgeting process for future years.

The proposed contract is contingent upon funding availability. In the event funding is reduced or terminated, the County may renegotiate the level of services and/or terminate the contract, as necessary

STAFFING IMPACT:

N/A

ATTACHMENT(S):

Attachment A – Contract MA-280-25011401 with Swinerton Builders
Attachment B – Contract Summary Form