CF-Village-CS 890810 ..~.s..~.~.~A Augus~ 10, 1989
Home Office: Dallas Office: Atlanta ~ice:
P.O. Box 1~ · Baton ~uge, ~ ~21~1~ P.O. ~x ~7 · D~II~, ~ 7~7 ~ ~m~la~ P~., B~.
(~) ~7 · F~ No. (~) ~1-9~ (214) 5~11 · F~ No. (214) ~1816 (~) ~1~ · F~ ~. (~) ~1~
Ginn, Incorporated
17103 Preston Road
Suite 100
Dallas, Texas 75248 U.S. Mail
Attention: Mr. Sanford Case
RE: Village Pkwy Pump Station
City of Coppell, Texas
Gentlemen:
Cajun Contractors, Inc. is in receipt of your August 7, 1989 letter
regarding our June 27, 1989 request for a change order for the
extra work involved in the raising of the 8" waterline to allow for
the installation of the 36" waterline as designed. As you are
aware, the 8" waterline did not exist at the location you indicated
in your drawings and therefore made impossible the accomplishment
of the work as shown.
Our most recent correspondence with you on this matter dated July
27, 1989 asked two questions, neither of which were addressed by
you in your above referenced response. These questions simply
addressed the real issue, that of whether or not the extra work
was required. Rather than answer our questions, you again recited
the project specifications and referenced other construction
projects. Consequently, in a final written effort to clarify and
fairly resolve the issue, Cajun offers the following information.
You state in paragraph one Cajun failed to verify the conflict.
This is incorrect. The conflict was indeed verified, otherwise,
how has it come to be known. You further state we failed to
provide advance notification. We notified both you and the Owner
immediately upon uncovering this discrepancy. The Owner promptly
reported to the site to investigate the problem. He had no
recommendation whatsoever. You reported to the site within the
next two hours to find Cajun rerouting the 8" line. You also gave
no recommendation. Consequently, the extra work was completed and
the contract work continued.
With the work complete and the cost in hand, Cajun submitted a
change order request which you rejected. You cite as the reason
improper notification. You have subsequently listed the options
Ginn, Incorporated
Page Two
under Contract for handling the problem we removed from the Owner
due to our ~,lproper notification. Please look again at the problem
and at the cure, then look at your listed options.
An 8" PVC line was in the direct path of a 35" PCCP line. One
required relocation. Very little evaluation is necessary to find
the solution. The only economical cure is to relocate the 8" PVC
line.
You list as one option relocation by the Owner. The Owner reviewed
the situation and indicated no interest at all in proceeding in
that manner. Another option you listed is relocation by separate
contract. Considering both cost and time, can that really
represent to you a viable option? You further list the option of
relocation by a change order. That is where we presently are.
Finally, you list the option of alteration of design to avoid the
conflict. That implies moving the 36" PCCP line in lieu of the 8"
PVC line. You must agree that would be cost prohibitive. In
summary, each of these options represent additional, work and
additional cost to the Contract. The responsible measure to take
is to accomplish the work using the most efficient method
considering all of the circumstances. Cajun did exactly that.
You discuss in the second paragraph of your letter unrelated
construction projects the City of Coppell presently has underway.
You reference them in terms of cost of work similar to the subject
extra work. Does this indicate we shall be paid for the work.
You further state these two projects utilize in their contracts pay
items for such similar work. It seems such a pay item should have
been included in our contract as well if it can prevent such
problems.
Finally, you cite the specifications regarding written approval
prior to the relocation. A quick review of the two change orders
affecting cost to date for the project should put Cajun's decision
to proceed with the work into its proper perspective. Cajun
submitted the electrical change order request on March 30, 1989.
We received approval on this extra work on June 12, 1989, 2 1/2
months later. Cajun submitted the drilled pier change order
request on April 12, 1989. You sent it back to us in revised form
on May 31, 1989 and we have yet to receive it in approved form.
That change order has been in process for four months and solely
in the Owner's hands for a period in excess of two months. Should
Cajun have waited until receipt of written approval on that
request, the project could in no way have been completed within the
specified time frame. In consideration of the Owner's track record
on this project, awaiting written approval of our submitted change
order request on this item would stop work on the line, thus
extending the work duration and increasing its cost. Again,
relocating the 8" PVC was the only economical solution.
G~nn, Incorporated
Page Three
tn conclusion, Cajun only asks you evaluate the real issue:
adjusting the actual conditions to facilitate the functionability
of the designed aystem. We found the problem, made it known,
evaluated the cures and, keeping the Owner's interests at heart,
we implemented the correction. We trust our discussion clarifies
and verifies our position on the matter.
Should you require further discussion on the change order cost,
please do not hesitate to call.
Sincerely,
CAJUN CONTRACTORS, INC.
Karl D. Hirschey
Project Manager
KDH/ksb
cc: Chron
File 1.11 (8821)
File 1.21 (8821)
Jerome Ducote
Baton Rouge
Russell Doyle - City of Coppell
Steve Goram - City of Coppell
Gabe Favre
H. Wayne Ginn - Ginn, Inc.