Fort Lauderdale staff recommend rejecting single AECOM bid for water-plant odor system and rebidding

City procurement and public-works officials told the Fort Lauderdale City Commission on Feb. 4 they received a single proposal for an odor-control project at the George Lohmeier water treatment plant and recommended rejecting that proposal and rebidding the work.

Procurement chief Glenn Markel said the only responsive proposal came from AECOM and was approximately $20 million. Markel and others told commissioners they have concerns about AECOM’s performance record on other city projects and that the single-bid result and a high price counsel in favor of rejecting the bid and reissuing the solicitation with clearer scope and more outreach.

Why it matters: The odor-control work addresses neighborhood impacts and operational performance at a major treatment facility. The choice to rebid could delay project delivery and, depending on market conditions, raise costs further, but commissioners noted that awarding a large contract to a single bidder with a spotty performance record also carries risks.

What officials said: Interim public-works director Abi Korom said design-build procurement with only a 20% design package can limit competition and that converting to a more detailed scope can increase vendor participation. Commissioners asked whether the $20 million figure was within the city’s expected range and how much further inflation or delay could increase costs; staff said prices are rising and acknowledged uncertainty but did not provide a precise escalation estimate at the meeting.

Next steps and scheduling: Procurement staff recommended rejecting the single proposal and rebidding with improved specifications and outreach; staff planned to bring a fuller recommendation to a subsequent commission meeting (Feb. 18). Commissioners asked staff to provide a briefing with project history, current cost expectations and a list of active AECOM task orders with the city before the next vote.

Quotes: “We did receive a single bid. That bid is from AECOM technical services. ... We are recommending to reject and start all over again,” Glenn Markel said. Interim Public Works Director Abi Korom described steps to revise the procurement approach to attract competition.

Background: The RFP had drawn four addenda during the procurement window; procurement staff said multiple addenda can sometimes discourage bidders if scope or specifications remain unclear. City staff said they will conduct further market outreach and consider converting the package to a more detailed design to increase competition.

Ending: Staff will return with a fuller report and recommendations, including market research and cost context, at a future commission meeting; commissioners asked to receive answers to specific questions in advance.