Council set to consider awarding South Williams waterline bid after low bid comes in under estimate

The Natchitoches City Council introduced an ordinance that would allow the mayor to award a bid for the South Williams waterline replacement project after a review committee recommended the lowest responsive bidder.

Ordinance No. 19 of 2025 authorizes the mayor to award Bid No. 0675 for the South Williams waterline project. City staff said the appointed review committee — Clarissa Smith (finance director), Ed Lee (purchasing director), Tim Tucc (utility director) and Councilman Dale Nielsen — unanimously recommended awarding the contract to David Lawler Construction LLC, the low bidder at $837,860.60.

Utility Director Tim Tucc described the project scope to the council: “The South Williams Avenue project is approximately 9,300 linear feet of waterline replacement, 8 inch, 6 inch, 28 water valves, 8 fire hydrants, and 130 water services,” he said, and noted the line runs from Kaiser Avenue to Pegasus Street including streets such as Royal, Watson, Hancock and Magnolia. Tucc told the council the designer’s estimate was about $950,000 and that the apparent low bid came in under that estimate.

Bids opened after public advertisement; the committee reviewed four proposals and flagged David Lawler Construction LLC as the lowest responsive bidder. As introduced, the ordinance forwards the award decision to the mayor pending the council’s future action on the ordinance at the next meeting.

The council did not vote on the contract award at the introduction stage; council members asked staff to be available for questions before the final vote scheduled for the next meeting.

If approved, the project will replace cast and older pipe sizes across the South Williams corridor, reduce discolored water complaints and restore system reliability, staff said. Tim Tucc and Councilman Nielsen urged colleagues to contact the utility director with technical questions prior to the final vote.