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Morgan County asks bidders to price footing and foundation after concerns about pole-building design
Summary
Commissioners reviewed bids for a planned volunteer fire station and directed staff to ask the three bidders to submit prices that include a traditional footing and foundation, citing durability and flood risks tied to a pole-building design.
Morgan County Commission on June 3 directed staff to ask the three bidders for the proposed volunteer fire station to provide alternate bid prices that include a footing and foundation rather than only the pole-building option the request for proposals originally described. Commissioners said they were concerned the pole building design could shorten the structure’s useful life and expose the building to flood or drainage risks.
The commission moved quickly through a work-session review of bids after commissioners and staff said they had already read the proposals. County staff confirmed some bidders included pad preparation in their proposals while others noted additional soil and scrubbing work would be extra. Commissioners said that, because the original RFP included pad preparation language, bidders who omitted pad work risked being found nonconforming under county purchasing code.
County legal and procurement references informed the discussion. County counsel pointed to the county procurement code (36.02(c)) and the processes for rejecting nonconforming bids and for negotiating with responsible bidders after rejection; staff said any negotiated change would need to be offered to every responsible bidder whose bid conformed to the original invitation.
Rather than reject the procurement outright, commissioners agreed to ask each of the three bidders to provide a priced option that includes a traditional footing and stem wall so the commission can compare costs. Commissioners also asked staff to gather additional technical clarifications from bidders — including HVAC sizing and electrical scope — so price differences can be explained.
The commission did not make a final contract award at the meeting. Staff was directed to request the supplemental pricing and technical detail from bidders and to return those responses to the commission for further evaluation; commissioners discussed re-advertising only if the requested foundation option materially changed the work scope and bidders could not be reasonably negotiated with under the county code.
