County staff review two bids for courthouse exterior rehab; alternates unclear in e‑procurement system

Warren County staff reported they received two bids for the courthouse exterior rehabilitation project and that the apparent low total is substantially below prior cost estimates.

A county staff member summarized the bids and how alternates were submitted in the e‑procurement system. The staff member said the bidder’s base was “3 87” (described in the meeting as the masonry and painting portion) and that the bidders split other scope items into alternates. “So their total is give or take 700,000,” the staff member said. Later in the discussion staff said the county was “looking around 800,000.”

Those figures were contrasted with earlier project estimates; a staff participant referenced recent planning numbers of about $1.7 million to $1.9 million. A separate line in the record noted that in 2023 a bidder submitted $891,100 on a related procurement.

Staff told the board the county’s e‑procurement system sometimes places uploaded alternate attachments in unexpected fields. One staff member said they would “dig into it” and try to locate the alternates in the submission and, if necessary, allow contractors to cure missing uploads where permitted by procurement rules.

Meeting participants also noted that some bidders had called the procurement help desk with questions during the process and that the system is usually responsive. Staff confirmed the county was awaiting pricing from Motorola for a separate radio tower project, which was not part of the courthouse bid package.

No formal contract award or vote was recorded during the discussion; staff said they would further investigate the uploaded alternates and report back to the board.