County opens Metropark forklift bids, extends detention medical RFQ and refers engineering RFQs to staff

The Yellowstone County Board of Commissioners opened bids March 17 for an LP pneumatic forklift for Metropark, acknowledged multiple requests for qualifications for an engineering contract to extend a water main along North Frontage Road and extended the RFQ/RFP deadline for medical services at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility by one week.

Commissioners opened and read aloud bids for the Metropark forklift from multiple vendors. The board recorded a bid of $39,000.29 from Octane Forklifts; a bid listed as $69,375.20 from Pape Material Handling; a Tractor and Equipment bid reported as $49,009.13; and multiple bid sheets from Anderson Forklift, including bids that listed rebates if accepted by March 31, 2025 (one Anderson bid listed a $5,000 rebate that would reduce a $42,320 price to $37,003.20 if accepted before the rebate expiration). Meeting discussion noted the absence of clear bid bonds in at least one vendor packet; staff said they would locate and verify bid bonds before award.

The board also acknowledged and referred to staff four RFQs for engineering services for the North Frontage Road water-main extension. The RFQs on the record that were acknowledged were from WWC Engineering, IMEG, Morrison Maierle (recorded in the transcript as "Morrison Merley") and an RFQ identified in the record as "Veil J." The board moved and unanimously approved referring those RFQs to staff for a recommendation back to the board.

Separately, the board amended the agenda to note that the RFQ/RFP for medical services at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility had been extended by one week and that proposals were due Monday, March 24, 2025. The board moved and unanimously approved referring procurement materials to staff for review and recommendation.

All procurement motions were approved by voice vote with no recorded dissents. No contract awards or final selections were made at the meeting; staff will return with recommendations for the board to consider at a future meeting.

Quotes in the record included statements that staff would "look for the bid bond" and suggestions to have staff further review the bid packets before any award decisions.

The procurement items will return to the board for formal recommendation and possible award after staff review.