Coos Bay awards contract to Knife River for 39-site pothole repair project

The Coos Bay City Council approved awarding the 2025 pothole repair contract to Knife River Materials for a not-to-exceed amount of $300,600, which includes a 15 percent contingency. Staff said the contract covers repairs to 39 large potholes totaling about 18,040 square feet across Eastside, Empire and central Coos Bay. Public works staff explained the project had two bids; Knife River was the low apparent responsive bidder and staff recommended awarding with contingency after following up on unit and mobilization costs. Staff said this job includes many separate locations, which reduces contractor efficiency and requires additional mobilization and shifts compared with previous year projects, accounting for the higher-than-estimated bid. Public works explained the city retains in-house grinding equipment for smaller repairs and that this contract addresses sites beyond in-house capacity. Council asked about contingency usage; staff said a 15 percent contingency is intended for true unknowns discovered during work such as deeper excavation or unforeseen pavement conditions, not for contractor underbids. Motion and vote: Council moved and seconded to award the contract to Knife River Materials not to exceed $300,600; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.