Rutherford County purchasing committee approves Lamp Hill change order, updates purchasing policy and accepts H and H bid

Rutherford County’s purchasing committee approved several procurement actions and policy changes during a committee meeting, including a $21,631.50 change order for additional full-depth reclamation work on Lamp Hill Road and updates to the county’s purchasing procedures.

The committee approved a change order to add 1,311 square yards of full-depth reclamation on Lamp Hill Road for $21,631.50. Brooks, a county staff member, told the committee the additional work is adjacent to a transfer station and “it’s gonna save us quite a bit of time, and it’s going to be a lot less of an intrusion on the construction crews that are working on the transfer station.” The original proposal covered 12,455 square yards; the additional area had been omitted from the original bid and staff recommended the change to avoid longer disruptions to transfer-station work. The motion to approve passed on a roll call (Commissioner Gich: yes; Commissioner Johnson: yes; Mr. Phillips: aye; Commissioner Boyd: yes; Commissioner Keith: yes).

The committee also approved updates to the county purchasing policy aimed at aligning internal dollar thresholds and expanding routine exemptions. A purchasing staff member identified as Denise said the changes adjust verbal-quote thresholds in step with previously raised bid limits, add a category for “local transportation” (for example, taxi, Uber or Lyft rides paid for under recovery or grant programs), permit certain recurring medical and drug costs tied to grant-funded clients to be processed without waiting for a purchase order, and clarify that expenditures already authorized under a commission-approved contract or grant may be processed without separate POs. “This allows us to be able to do some of those in compliance with those grants without having to wait 2 weeks,” Denise told the committee. The committee voted to approve the revised purchasing procedures on roll call (Commissioner Johnson: aye; Commissioner Gooch: yes; Mr. Phillips: yes; Commissioner Boyd: yes; Mr. Bates: yes).

On a separate procurement, the committee accepted a low bid from H and H Construction for a county construction project. County staff said two bids arrived: Ryze at $1,150,000 and H and H Construction at $810,295.17. Staff noted a roughly $340,000 price difference and said H and H is on the state vendor list; staff recommended awarding to H and H. The committee approved the award to H and H Construction on a roll call vote (Commissioner Johnson: aye; other members voting aye as recorded), and staff said they will coordinate any necessary budget or reimbursement steps with partner jurisdictions.

The committee voted to authorize the surplus sale of 24 seized firearms (handguns and feature rifles) held by the sheriff’s office. County staff described the usual process: vendors submit quotes to buy packages of seized items after court disposition; items tied to murder or suicide investigations are destroyed, per the sheriff’s office practice. The motion to approve the surplus sale carried on voice and roll call votes.

Several requests were taken under advisement for further review, rather than decided at the meeting. Those included: bids for a roof project (two bids received), a request for proposals for body removal and transport services (no bids received and staff recommended reissuing the solicitation), and a GPS monitoring services RFP required by a recent change in state law for certain domestic-violence cases. County staff said the GPS solicitation drew four bids, which were opened and will be evaluated to confirm statutory compliance; named bidders in the record included Tracting Solutions, TRN Tennessee Recovery and Monitoring, Alternative to Incarceration (A to I), and Tennessee AMS.

Committee members also discussed a county vehicle that was totaled in an accident; staff said an emergency purchase and subsequent commission budget amendment will be required for replacement, and that insurance reimbursement and the deductible (staff estimated approximately $25,000, subject to final insurer valuation and depreciation) would follow normal claim procedures. Staff said the replacement request will be placed on a future full-commission agenda for appropriation.

Votes at a glance

- Approve Lamp Hill Road change order (add 1,311 sq yd) — Approved; roll call recorded: Commissioner Gich: yes; Commissioner Johnson: yes; Mr. Phillips: aye; Commissioner Boyd: yes; Commissioner Keith: yes. - Approve revisions to Rutherford County purchasing procedures — Approved; roll call recorded: Commissioner Johnson: aye; Commissioner Gooch: yes; Mr. Phillips: yes; Commissioner Boyd: yes; Mr. Bates: yes. - Award contract to H and H Construction ($810,295.17) — Approved; roll call recorded with Commissioners voting aye as recorded in the minutes. - Authorize surplus sale of 24 seized firearms — Approved; motion carried. - Take bids/RFPs under advisement: roof RFP; body removal and transport services RFP (no bids; may rebid); GPS monitoring services RFP (four bids) — Taken under advisement.

The committee scheduled follow-up items for the next purchasing meeting and indicated items requiring full commission approval — such as emergency vehicle replacement or budget amendments — will be routed to the full commission for appropriation and formal action.