Council awards FY26 chip-seal contract to low bidder; residents urge caution on expanded scope

The Laramie City Council on July 15 awarded the Fiscal Year 2026 chip-seal contract to American Road Maintenance for $585,430 with a $12,570 contingency, after the company submitted a low bid that allowed the city to expand the project scope from the base bid. Councilor Bowling moved the award; the motion passed 8-0 with one member absent. Public Works Director Brooks told the council the project will apply chip and fog seal to roughly 123,972 square yards of city streets (base bid 64,808 square yards plus 59,164 additional square yards) and should be completed by Sept. 5; three school-area sections are required to be finished before Aug. 15. Brooks said American Road Maintenance’s unit price was about $4 per square yard versus competitors at about $6 and $6.10 per square yard; the company is working on nearby projects and provided references. Resident Mister Glass urged caution, noting the bid was much lower than local experience and asking whether it was legal to expand the scope without rebidding; he recommended the council consult the city attorney and perform additional due diligence. Director Brooks said staff performed due diligence, collected qualification documents and references, and that city street and engineering staff will monitor the work. Councilor Vigil said she trusted staff’s review but suggested calling other jurisdictions where the contractor has worked. The council approved the award and scope expansion and directed staff to proceed with contract monitoring and to prioritize school-area streets.