Jacobs-PCL Lands $192.8M Design Role on SF Nutrient Upgrade
San Francisco’s largest wastewater plant now has a design-build team for its nutrient removal upgrade. A Jacobs and PCL Construction joint venture holds a $192.8 million, 13-year contract with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), ENR reports.
Market Impact
The $192.8 million covers design and preconstruction services, not the full build. The project’s estimated direct construction cost is $600 million, and its overall budget is $1.45 billion. Both sit inside SFPUC’s separate $5 billion modernization of the 75-year-old Southeast Treatment Plant, which handles nearly 80% of the city’s wastewater and stormwater from eastern watersheds.
The Nutrient Reduction Project is driven by the Bay Area’s 2024 nutrient watershed permit, which requires 40 municipal facilities to meet discharge reduction targets. Scope includes retrofitting the plant’s high-purity oxygen activated sludge system to produce densified activated sludge, building a new biological nutrient removal system and modifying existing aeration basins. The plant treats 84.5 million gallons per day.
The contract allots four years to preconstruction. A California Environmental Quality Act review begins once that work defines the scope, and construction can’t start until the review is done and the commission approves the project. SFPUC is the owner.
The award was close. Jacobs/PCL scored 1,006.98 against 1,002.58 for the Sundt/Carollo team. Sundt/Carollo took the full 250 price points versus 219.86, while Jacobs/PCL scored higher on technical and social-impact factors. SFPUC denied Sundt/Carollo’s protest on Jan. 13.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Timing: Construction is at least four years out and still needs CEQA review and commission approval. Our inference: under progressive design-build, trade packages get bought out after scope and price are set. The window to shape them is preconstruction, so get on the JV’s subcontractor list now. The source doesn’t name its procurement contacts.
- Mechanical, process piping and electrical: The high-purity oxygen (HPO) system retrofit and new biological nutrient removal system are the core scope. Ask the JV early about tie-in sequencing and shutdown windows, since the work modifies existing basins and equipment at a plant serving nearly 80% of the city’s flow. The source doesn’t give those windows.
- Concrete: Aeration basin modifications are in scope. The source gives no quantities, so ask what the preconstruction phase will define.
- Price versus scoring: Jacobs/PCL won despite a weaker price score, with social-impact factors counting in the evaluation. Our inference: subs that can document local workforce and community contributions help the JV’s case.
- Work available sooner: The MWH/Webcor team is building five digesters on a $2.3 billion program through 2028. Clark’s $87.1 million operations and maintenance building also finishes in 2028. Those general contractors are the nearest on-site opportunities and a way to build plant-specific experience.
- PCL relationships: PCL and Stantec are nearing completion of the $165 million Treasure Island plant. Subs on that job have an existing track record with PCL.
