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Single bid for courthouse electrical upgrade exceeds grant estimate; commissioners ask staff to review
Summary
A single proposal for phase 1 of a courthouse electrical upgrade arrived at $141,480—above the $120,000 project estimate (including county match); commissioners authorized staff review and return with a recommendation before awarding the work.
Hampshire County officials opened one bid Feb. 25 for a two‑phase courthouse electrical upgrade project funded in part by a courthouse facilities improvement grant.
The grant covers $100,000 of phase 1, and the county is responsible for a $20,000 match, the county manager said. The lone bid opened — from a firm present at the pre‑bid meeting — totaled $141,480 for phase 1, exceeding the combined grant and county match of $120,000.
County staff explained the project scope for phase 1: upgrade the main incoming service (to three‑phase) and replace or upgrade subpanels in the building. Phase 2, planned for a later date, would cover switches and light fixtures. Staff said older subpanels no longer accept available breakers and require replacement to support future HVAC or electrical needs.
Staff noted lead times for commercial switchgear can be four to five months and that contractors might need to deploy a temporary power source for a day or two to avoid disrupting courthouse operations during the work.
Commissioner Mance moved that staff (Mr. Haught and Mr. Rompkins) review the bid and return with a recommendation to accept or reject the proposal; the commission approved the motion. A county official said project completion would be required by Dec. 31 if the grant and contract proceed and that appropriations for the work would appear in next fiscal year’s budget.
