PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITY OF M.L.
About four to six weeks work of completion work on the Stratford Road project will be rebid because the previous contractor defaulted on the contract.
The City is required to go through a process with the insurer of the project for a completion contract.
The new bid opening is 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17th.
The Moses Lake City Council rejected the only bid that came in for the project at its July 27th meeting because several line items came in above market value, according to City staff. Staff has prepared to rebid the completion project.
“The City has to ensure that there is a responsible bid,” City Manager Allison Williams said this week.
City staff contacted contractors to learn why they did not submit bids. Some reasons provided included having so much work that it was not possible to take another project, and the ability find subcontractors who could provide price estimates. Concrete and asphalt subcontractors were mentioned specifically.
“The current bidding climate is very difficult,” City Engineer Richard Law said at the July 27th City Council meeting. “All over the state, everyone is having a hard time getting contractors to bid jobs because they are so busy.”
Another factor is the short length of the project, 20 working days, and the variety of subcontractors needed. The majority of the work on the Stratford Road Completion Contract is the reconstruction of the Stratford and Valley intersection.