Underground Utilities

Finding and working with a State Licensed Contractor is the best way to go!

2010-12-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

Property owners in Florida are lucky when it comes to easily hiring and controlling licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractors. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) really does a great job of making sure that “bad” Underground Utility and Excavation contractors that damage the public are weeded out. They respond quickly to complaints they are given from consumers. Complaints from other legitimate Underground Utility and Excavation contractors are addressed as well but perhaps a little slower and with less feed back from DBPR. Developing a one on one business relationship with a DBPR representative helps legitimate Underground Utility and Excavation contractors in controlling the unlicensed activity in their area but DBPR is underfunded that the investigators are spread thin.

If a property owner hires a State licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractor, they do have an enormous amount of power over that contractor. If the property owner has a problem with a licensee, the property owner has the following options:

If the licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractor abandons the project and refuses to return the customer’s call, one remedy is for the customer to call the DBPR or send DBPR a complaint form. The DBPR will then contact the Underground Utility and Excavation contractor to resolve the issue. Every licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractor who wishes to maintain their license will immediately work with the DBPR and get the issue resolved right away.

Even if the licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractor has gone out of business or is dodging the DBPR, the residential consumer can go for the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board’s Construction Industry Recovery Fund to recover all or a portion of their losses. The rules for the fund read: Payment may be available from the construction industries recovery fund if you lose money on a project performed under contract, where the loss results from specified violations of Florida Law by a state-licensed contractor. For information about the recovery fund and filling a claim, contract the Florida Construction Industry licensing Board at the following telephone number and address: Department Of Business and professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing Board, 7960 Arlington Expressway, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32211-7467. Telephone: (850) 727-3650.

All residential construction contracts are required to contain this clause. The fund provides residential property owners who contract with licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractors with the ability to recover up to $50,000.00 if they have been ripped off or otherwise damaged by that licensed Underground Utility and Excavation contractor.

You may review the Florida Statutes by clicking on: www.myflorida.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/index.html and click on Statutes and Rules.

Call Rick Fender, the Vice President of Cloud 9 Services, Inc for additional information at 407-481-2851 and http://orlandoutilitycontractor.com/

Help for Underground Utility Contractors

2010-09-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cloud 9 Services, Inc. has always worked with a few of the local Plumbers and Utility Contractors when they need backup help on thier more difficult projects. Now we are offering our quality Aquatech jet/vac truck, trailer jetter, septic/grease pumper truck, track and push camera systems with sonde locators, crane truck and skilled sewer technicians including our confined space entry team to all Central Florida Plumbers at a discounted rate. When Plumbers or Utility Contractors who do not have this equipment or personnel and get into a situation where they need our help, we are available for emergency service 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Call Cloud 9 Services, Inc. 407-481-2750. www.cloud9services.com

Cloud 9 Services, Inc. Offers Support for Orlando Plumbers and Underground Utility Contractors

2010-09-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Piggy Back Contracts-

2010-08-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

The City of New Smyna contract has now expired. Call Cloud 9 Services, Inc. at 407-481-2750 about other "Piggy Back" contracts that we can use to work together.

The Benefits of Piggy Back Government Contracts for Underground Utility Projects

2010-08-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

Many State and local government Public Utility Departments can benefit by using "Piggy Back" contracts for their underground utility work as well as other work.

Cloud 9 Services, Inc. has a contract for shceduled and emergency repairs and jetvac cleaning operations for the City of New Symrna Beach. The City has allowed this contract to be Piggy Backed by other State and local government entities. The work covers jet/vac cleaning of storm and sewer lines, repair of starm and sanitary sewer lines, manholes, curb inlets, sink holes, line clogs, Video or TV inspections and troubleshooting of storm and sanitary pipe and structures. The contract also covers regular work as well as emergency repair work. The contract which was competiviley bid can provide your department with the auxillary help that you need to comply with DEP requirements of cleaning storm and sanitary pipe and other work.

There are hourly rates for laborers, pipe foreman, supervisors, equipment operators and pipe layers. Ther are equipment rates for our backhoe, jetvac high pressure cleaning Aquatech Vacon style trucks, dump trucks, utility service trucks, crane truck, well point system, sewer bypass system, confined space entry equipment and our TV camera pipe inspection truck.

You can check the Piggy Back contract for all of Florida and most particulay Central Florida at our web site at http://www.cloud9services.com/. You can also reach us at 407-481-2750.

Lift Station Repair Troubleshooting

2009-01-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Cloud 9 Services, your lift station experts.
Our lift station technicians have the knowledge and equipment to service all your lift station needs. Liftstations are sometimes called wet wells or pump stations and are used mainly for pumping raw sewage uphill. The lift stations normally consist of (2) submersible pumps in the bottom of a concrete or fiberglass cylindrical tank, piping valves and a lift station control panel.
Some of the less qualified companies may send out their technicians to diagnose the problem only to tell you the pumps must be bad or some of the control panel parts need to be replaced without really checking for the actual problem. It is easier and more profitable for them. These tough economic times have caused some companies with no work or lift station experience to expand into the lift station repair field.
After all how tough can it be? It is only a couple of pumps. What an easy way to make some money. The customers don’t really know anything about the lift stations anyway......
Wrong! There are several components involved with lift station diagnoses. Several questions need to be answered before the lift station repair technician even opens the control panel.
• Did the lift station just stop completely?
• Have you had any trouble before?
• Has the lift station alarm been going off?
• Have you noticed any sewage backups or sewer backups in the building?
• Is there any construction going on in the area?

Just to name a few questions. There is a lot more to lift station repair than just replacing a couple of pumps and a control panel. Without the experience and knowledge of an expert you could be paying for work that doesn’t need to be done.
Let Cloud 9 Services, Inc. be you lift station experts.

Call 407-481-2750 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Hydroexcavting benefits for underground utilities

2008-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

The action of removing soils from an area using water and vacuum is known as hydro-excavating. We use the Aquatech B-10 jet/vac trucks here at Cloud 9 Services, Inc. for our hydro-excavation work. The Aquatech trucks we have are similar to other jet/vac trucks such as Vactor, Guzzler, Camel and others. The trucks use a positive displacement blower to produce great vacuum on the debris tank on the truck. The tank is connected to a large 8” vacuum hose which is connected to aluminum vacuum tubes. If the material being excavated is wet such as a sewage spill or drilling mud or just wet soil, then no additional water is needed in order to vacuum the material into the debris tank. However, if the material is dry, water must be added before it can be vacuumed. This is because the dry material may be so light that it will be blown through the debris tank and into the vacuum blower. This will cause wear and premature failure of the vacuum blower. If the material is dry, then we use the jet hose and the onboard water tank to wet the materials as they are vacuumed.

There are many uses for the jet/vac truck performing the hydo-excavations. If you have to repair or replace an underground utility pipe in an area where the surrounding utilities are very close and you are afraid you may damage them, then you can vacuum the soil from around the area without damaging the utilities. In other words if you are afraid to use a backhoe, then the hydro-excavating is the answer.

Another use for hydro-excavating is for caisson installations. In a situation where you want to install a very deep manhole or wet well in a confined space, you can install the structure with hydro-excavating. This is how we perform the work in Florida where we mainly have sandy soils. Most of the time we have to dewater the area by means of wellpointing before we can start the hydro-excavating. Then we dig a shallow hole for the first section of precast wetwell structure to be placed. Then we use the water from the truck and the vacuum tubes to remove the soil from the inside of the structure. As the soil is removed, the precast structure drops evenly into the excavation. Then we set the successive sections of precast on top and continue to vacuum until the precast is at the correct elevation.

There is much more to this operation which I will address in future articles. For any questions on hydro-excavating, please feel free to contact us at Cloud 9 Services, Inc.

Cloud 9 Services' Piggy Back Contract with City of New Smyrna

2007-11-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

April of 2006, Cloud 9 Services, Inc. submitted a competitive bid for underground utility repairs, jet/vac (Vactor) type work and various other possible projects for the City of New Smyrna Beach. Cloud 9 Services, Inc was found to be the lowest responsive bidder and they entered into a contract with the City of New Smyrna Beach Utility Commission. In April of 2007, the City of New Smyrna Beach extended the contract for another year. Further, the City of New Smyrna Beach has allowed the contract to be “Piggy Backed” by other Cities and Counties throughout Florida. In the past 18 months, many Cities and Counties have taken advantage of the Piggy Back contract with City of New Smyrna Beach, including Seminole County, City of Deltona, City of Oviedo and others across Central Florida. Cloud 9 Services, Inc. can be reached at 407-481-2750 or visit their website at www.cloud9service.com. The following is a scanned copy of the City of New Smyrna Beach contract. If you wish, a hard and more legible copy of this agreement can be sent to you for your use.

April1l,2007
UTIUTIES COMMISSION,
CITY OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA
200 Canal Street
New Smyrna Beach. Florida 32168
386-427-1361
Mailing Address:
Post Office BOX J. 00
New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32170

Cloud 9 Services
. 1201 W. Jackson Street Orlando, FL 32805
Attn: Richard Fender, President

Dear Mr. Fender:
In accordance with ITB#19-06, for Supplying Additional Water/Waste Water Crews on "As Needed» Under Normal or Storm Related Conditions, the Utilities Commission reserved the right to extend the contract for two additional one-year periods, upon mutual agreement in writing. May 7, 2007 will satisfy the original first year term contract commitment.
The Utilities Commission, New Smyrna Bea.ch would like to extend the contract for the first additional year based on the terns and conditions of the original agreement. Contract 3110 allowed for price negotiation prior to renewal extensions. The Utilities Commission will consider allowing a nominal price adjustment for services provided. If a price increase is warranted, please send correspondence detailing changes in service fees.
If you have any questions. please contact Steve Dover, Purchasing Specialist, 386-424-3043.
Very truly yours, .
·---- ..... \ .. : ·;
" .' . -,-
.. ~ t--\ .. ~)~. ,-.,~, . .;::~;<.\....,--
r )
Russ Wetherington, CPCM, Cpp., CPM
Materials. Manager
Acceptance by the undersigned to extend contract for the first additional year; May 8, 2007 to May 7, 2008, in accordance with Bid No. 19-06.
Please indicate your acceptance by having an officer of your firm execute the acceptance portion below and return t~ original to me, no later than May 4. 2007.
ACCEPTANCE
C-\ $;> •.••••• ~ ~ '>:) Q..,r V' : (., e. \ .....• c..
:~---
Signature/Date
x; \~;"
Print Name/Title

Utilities Commission
City of New Smyrna Beach Attn: Accounting Department P.O. Box 100
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170-0100
PURCHASE ORDER
No. PON0004084
P.O. number must appear on all correspondence.
Date: 4/1712007
Page: 1
Requisition#: RQ070288Vendor:
Cloud 9 Services, Inc. 1201 W. Jackson Street
Ship to:
AS DIRECTED BY DC PERSONNEL
Orlando
FL 32805
Phone: (386) 424-3180 .
Attention:
Phone:
Fax:
Vendor #:
Richard Fender, President (407) 481-2750 Ext. 0000 (407) 481-8850 Ext. 0000 Cloud 9 Services, Inc.
Dept:
Contact:
W/WW
Dave Hoover
Please ship merchandise subject to conditions printed on this order. State Sales Tax Exemption Certificate No.74-16-058509-54C

DIRECT TURNOVER
5/712008
1.00
EA
$0.00
First Year Extension of Contract for Additional Water/Waste Water Crews and Equipment to Assist Utilities Commission Personnel As Needed for Emergency Repair Situations and Infrastructure Improvements Beyond UC Staff Capability. Renewed and Agreed As Per Bid 19-06 Terms, Conditions, and Specifications. Period of Agreement 5/08/07 until 05/07/08.

DIRECT TURNOVER
5/712008
1.00
EA
$0.00
Pricing for Labor (all conditions):

Crew Leader-$65.00 per hr/ OT-$97.50 per hr

Pipe Fitter-$55.00 per hr/ OT- $82.50 per hr

Laborer-$45.00 per hr/ OT-$67.50 per hr

Project Manager-$85.00 per hr/ OT $127.50 per hr

DIRECT TURNOVER
5/712008
1.00
EA
$0.00
Pricing for Equipment:

Backhoe-$75.00 per hr

Dump TlllCk-$75.00 per hr

Utility Service Vehicle-$65.00 per hr

DIRECT TURNOVER
5/712008
1.00
EA
$0.00
Jet/Vac TlllCk-$185.00 per hr/ OT-$273.00 per hr

Continual. see additional iteme(s).
Page 1
Utilities Commission
City of New Smyrna Beach
Please ship merchandise subject to conditions printed 0
PURCHASE ORDER
No. PON0004084 (Continued)
. ~ Sales Tax Exemption Certificate No.74-l6-058509-54C

Well Point Pumps & System-$40.00 per hr/ Set Up-$2,500

Confined Space Equipment-$55.00 per hr

By-Pass Pumps & Plugs-$50.00 per hr/ Set Up-$2,000

Camera Truck-$145.00 per hr/ OT-$217.00 per hr
DIRECT TURNOVER 5/7/2008
The Only Personnel Authorized to Commit Expenditures Against this Contract are Dave Hoover, Bill Sylvia, James Haynes, or Bill Dean. Certificate of Insurance to be Supplied, Prior to Start of Work, to the Office of the Materials Manager.
1.0 EA $0.00
2.0 Unless otherwise stated herein all prices are F.O.B. "Ship To" point listed above with freight prepaid by shipper.
Notes/Comment
320-020-923-9028 WR;360-030-923-9028 SW. Per Bid No. 19-06 Terms. Coordinate with Contact Listed.
All Invoices will be paid within 30 days of: BY
Receipt of Invoice, Receipt of Goods or Acceptance of Work Performed
Subtotal: $0.00
Freight: $0.00
Tax amount: $0.00
Total Value: $0.00
/l
C: , . i , \ i) (7 0 ,.' L. /
:,' ~ " :.\', \r-. ,;', '»(.-4""0: 'V. ,,'~-
.~ .------'-J,~"'\. '-' "'--'- '\ " r "'-.;\ ,"~--- I
Authorized Signature' (' .. ) -., '
Utilities Commission
,c City of New Smyrna Beach 'Attn: Accounting Department P.O. Box 100
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170-0100
PURCHASE ORDER
No. PON0003498
P.O. number must appear on all correspondence.
Date: 5/10/2006
Page: 1
Requisition#: RQ060266
Attention: Richard Fender, President
Phone: (407) 481-2750 Ext. 0000
Fax: (407) 481-8850 Ext. 0000
Vendor#: CLOUD9
Please ship merchandise subject to conditions printed on this order. State Sales Tax Exemption Certificate No.74-16-058509-54C
Vendor:
Cloud 9 Services, Inc. 1201 W. Jackson Street
Orlando
FL 32805 Continued, see additional page(s).
Page 1
Ship to:
AS DIRECTED BY UC PERSONNEL Dept: www
Contact: Dave Hoover
Phone: (386) 4243180
Utilities Commission
:: City of New Smyrna Beach
..
PURCHASE ORDER
No. PON0003498 (Continued)
Please ship merchandise subject to conditions posted on this order. State Sales Tax Exemption Certificate No.74-16-058509-54C

Confined Space Equipment - $55.00/per hr

By-Pass Pumps & Plugs - $50.00/per hr $2,000.00/set up

Camera Truck - $ 145.00/per hr - $217.00/per hr OT
BLANKET
The only personnel authorized to commit expenditures against this contract are Dave Hoover, Bill Sylvia, James Haynes or Bill Dean. Certificate of Insurance to be supplied to the office of the Materials Manager prior to start of work.
5/16/2006 1.00 EA $0.00
Unless otherwise stated herein all prices are F.O.B. "Ship To" point listed above with freight prepaid by shipper.
Notes/Comment
NC # to be job specific and applied at the time. Per Bid No. 19-06 terms, approved at the DC meeting of 5/15/06, Agenda Item:
All Invoices will be paid within 30 days of:. BY
Receipt of Invoice, Receipt of Goods or Acceptance of Work Performed
Subtotal:
Freight:
Tax amount:
Total Value:

Underground Utility Repair Piggy Back Contracts

2007-10-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

Underground Utility Repair Piggy Back Contracts

The benefits to Florida Cities and Counties utilizing “Piggy Back” contracts are many.
For instance, Cloud 9 Services, Inc. of Orlando Florida has a contract with the City of New Smyrna Utility Commission which the City has allowed to be “Piggy Backed”. This means that if for instance, the City of Orlando or Orange County wants to take advantage of the prices and services contained in Cloud 9 Services, Inc.’s contract with the City of New Smyrna, which were competitively bid, they can do so. Cities and Counties can simply use New Smyrna’s contract with Cloud 9 Services, Inc. without having to go out to bid. This saves time and money for the Cities and Counties. Also, the Cities and Counties can feel comfortable with the pricing since the Cloud 9 Services, Inc. was the low bidder.

Seminole County, the City of Oviedo and the City of Deltona are just a few of our customer’s who have taken advantage of this “Piggy Back” contract. The “Piggy Back” contract is for work that our customers either don’t have time, equipment or personnel to perform. The services we offer in the contract are primarily underground utility work. This includes cleaning storm and sanitary sewer lines and manholes with our Aquatech jetvac trucks which are similar to Vacon or Vactor or Camel line jetting and vacuum trucks. We also use the jetvacs and our pumper trucks for cleaning lift stations.

Other services that we can perform under this contract include storm and sewer line repairs and replacement, manhole sealing and repair, TV video pipe inspections, sink hole and pothole repairs, leak detections and repairs, force main repairs and replacements, smoke testing and pressure testing of lines, lift station maintenance and repair, water main repairs, water meter replacements, storm culvert repairs, water and wastewater repairs of all types, infrastructure repairs, septic tank pumping and repair, grease trap pumping and repairs and just about anything imaginable in underground repair and construction.

The contract contains hourly rates for our laborers, equipment operators, foreman, project manager, jetvac truck, backhoe, well point system for dewatering, sewer bypass system, confined space entry equipment, dump truck, utility truck and TV pipeline video inspection truck.

Cloud 9 services, Inc. serves all of Central Florida including Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Geneva, Lake Mary, Lake Monroe, Longwood, Oviedo, Sanford, Winter Springs, Alafaya, Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle, Christmas, Doctor Phillips, Eatonville, Edgewood, Lake Buena Vista, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee, Orlando, Tangerine, Windermere, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Zellwood, Campbell, Celebration, Kissimmee, Poinciana, St. Cloud, Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fedhaven, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Indian Lake Estates, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Mulberry, Nalcrest, Polk City, Providence, Winter Haven, Altoona, Astatula, Astor, Bassville Park, Clermont, Eustis, Forest Hills, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-In-The-Hills, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde, Mount Dora, Mount Plymouth, Okahumpka, Paisley, Sorrento, Tavares, Umatilla, Yalaha, Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, DeBary, DeLand, Deltona, Edgewater, Holly Hill, Lake Helen, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Orange City, Ormond Beach, Pierson, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange.

Cloud 9 Services, Inc hold State of Florida Certified Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor, General Contractor, Mechanical Contractor and Plumbing Contractor's licenses.

If you are interested in Cloud 9 Services, Inc.’s “Piggy Back” contract and would like a copy for your City or County please call us at 407-481-2750 or visit our website at www.cloud9services.com.

Florida's Turnpike Entrprise Update

2007-10-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

On October 2, 2007, the American Society of Civil Engineers East Central Branch Florida Section held their 2007 Annual Board of Directors Installation Luncheon at the Citrus Club in Orlando, Florida. The guest speaker the Chris Warren, PE, Deputy Executive Director for Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. His talk was on Florida's transportation future. The following are my notes and opinions on his lecture.
He described what the FDOT calls "The Perfect Storm". We are heading there as Federal spending on highways has decreased by 50%. In the last 10 years, materials have increased fast than the traffic on the roads have increased.Purchasing power has decreased for FDOT. The prediction is that the will be a 42 Billion dollar shortfall in funding for FDOT in the next 10 years. Mr. Warren stated that the Gas Tax system is broken.
The solution being discussed on FDOT circles is "User Financing". They feel this to be a more fair and equitable method of financing our roadways.
Brownfield assets as they are called may be sold to private partnerships to raise money now but then the asset will belong to private concerns in the future. Some that may be sold are The Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Alligator Alley. This type of sale is happening all over the Country.
Mr. Warren went on to describe upcoming Turnpike project such as "Smart Highway". Smart Highways will have cars linked together electronically ad will use GPS beacons to avoid collisions. Mr. Warren said FDOT will be using GPS tolling by 2015.
Florida is going "Green" as the Turnpike will have "Green Plazas" with E85 fuel.
Cloud 9 Services, Inc. has a contract with FDOT for performing underground utility repairs, plumbing repairs and lift station maintenance. We are interested in supporting the FDOT and prefer that FDOT does not sell its assets to private companies. We feel that all Floridians will loose if we sell off the infrastructure. We feel that user fees and higher taxes are the way to save our highways.