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Committee approves sewer GIS professional services; one member objects to non‑RFP award
Summary
The Township Committee approved a professional services contract for sewer system mapping and GIS work to meet a state deadline. One member voted no and several members urged future use of requests for proposals for large contracts.
Morris Township approved a professional services contract for sewer mapping and GIS work Wednesday after a debate over procurement method and the state deadline that prompted the request.
The contract is a professional services agreement exceeding $200,000; staff said the work responds to a state requirement to map sewer infrastructure and meet a regulatory deadline. One committee member said the township should have issued an RFP for a contract of that size and announced opposition on principle; the member’s roll‑call vote was recorded as a no. Other members said the work is required by the state and the engineering and sewer departments recommended the vendor.
Township counsel explained that the contract is for professional services and therefore not subject to a traditional public‑bid process; the vendor certified a ‘‘non‑fair‑and‑open’’ status under state rules for professional services (meaning the vendor certified zero political contributions to the governing body during the contract term). Several committee members said they preferred issuing RFPs for large procurements in the future, but they voted to approve this award to meet the state timeline.
Outcome and next steps: The resolution awarding the contract passed on roll call (one no vote). Staff will proceed with the vendor selection and work to produce GIS mapping for the sewer system; committee members asked staff to consider formal RFPs for similar large projects going forward.
