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Evaluation committee ranks Western Construction first for TCO corridor force main RFP
Summary
A Hillsborough County procurement evaluation committee finalized scoring for RFP 2500126, recommending Western Construction as the top-ranked construction manager at‑risk for the TCO corridor force main replacement; the committee will post a notice of intent and a five-day protest period before a board action to authorize negotiations.
Hillsborough County procurement officials and an evaluation committee finalized scores on proposals for RFP 2500126, the construction manager at‑risk (CMAR) services for the TCO corridor force main replacement project, and recommended a top‑ranked firm on Oct. 11, 2025.
The committee recommended Western Construction as the highest‑ranked proposer after finalizing consensus scores across four evaluation criteria; two other finalists were ranked second with near‑identical totals. “The code of silence is still in effect,” said Sybil Tucker, procurement buyer, who closed the meeting and described the next administrative steps.
Why this matters: The recommendation starts a posting and protest window that must expire before the County Commission considers awarding and authorizing negotiations. The selected CMAR will be responsible for managing construction of the TCO corridor force main replacement if negotiations and board approval follow the committee’s recommendation.
What the committee did: Committee members reviewed written proposals and oral presentations together and confirmed consensus scores on four criteria: (1) professional personnel and technical ability, (2) relevant project experience, (3) schedule approach, and (4) recent/current/projected workload. For the three shortlisted firms the committee recorded final consensus point totals during the meeting summary: two firms at 89 points and Western Construction at 90 points. The committee chair then announced Western Construction as the number‑one ranking and instructed staff to prepare a written recommendation and the county’s notice of intent to recommend an award, which triggers a five‑day protest period followed by a board agenda item to approve the selection and authorize negotiations.
Discussion highlights: Committee members debated small adjustments to individual criterion scores to break a potential three‑way tie. The group discussed schedule differences tied to a valve procurement or early delivery decision by the county (committee members noted that receiving valves earlier could shorten a proposer’s schedule by several months). Members also compared proposer workload and reference projects when considering whether to raise or lower scores under the workload criterion.
Next steps and timeline: Procurement staff will prepare the written recommendation and post a notice of intent to recommend an award; a five‑day protest period will follow. If no protest is filed, staff will bring the selection to the Hillsborough County Board for approval and authorization to negotiate a contract. The procurement buyer closed the meeting by reminding attendees that the procurement “code of silence” remains in effect until the procurement process moves to a posted notice and subsequent board action.
Additional context: Committee members repeatedly emphasized that schedule adjustments tied to county actions (for example purchasing valves) were estimates and not guarantees of earlier completion. The committee also noted minor differences in the number of reference projects provided by proposers and discussed contractor workforce configurations (single crew versus multiple crews) when assessing constructability and workload.
