Kossuth, Palo Alto award joint drainage-contract to Reitzel Excavating after bid letting

Kossuth County supervisors, in a joint bid letting with Palo Alto County, awarded the contract for Joint Drainage District No. 1 to Reitzel Excavating after opening five bids and confirming the low bidder at $440,802.75.

The bid letting focused on repairs to the main open ditch of Drainage District No. 1 to fix damage primarily sustained in 2023. Colin Klingbile, the project representative who opened the bids for Kossuth County, said the counties had delayed bidding while awaiting a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "We've got the permit in hand. So now we're ready to bid this out and get the work going," Klingbile said.

During the public bid opening the board read five acceptable bids: Reitzel Excavating, $440,802.75; Larson Contracting, $450,086.51; Apex Drainage LLC, $461,821.20; Winn Company LLC, $715,704.00; and 3 Oaks Construction Inc., $782,717.50. Klingbile recommended awarding the contract to the low bidder, Reitzel Excavating. "I'd recommend awarding the contract to Reitzel Excavating," he said.

A motion to award the contract to Reitzel Excavating passed by voice vote on the Kossuth County side after the two counties coordinated their votes on the call; supervisors noted the usual contract closeout steps remain. Klingbile told the board the county must obtain the contractor's proof of insurance and a performance bond and execute three original contract documents (one for the county, one for the contractor, one for the engineer), after which work can begin. He said the contractor and county will determine whether to start limited work this fall or wait until spring.

Separately, the board approved Pay Application No. 1 for DD4, LAP 42, covering work to date on that project. A supervisor moved approval of the pay application, a second was recorded and the motion carried.

Board members and staff discussed the permit delay that pushed work past the last construction season: the Corps requires a special permit for projects that exceed thresholds (including a review of riprap amounts and an archeological review), which contributed to the later bid schedule. Klingbile told supervisors the permit should be valid for a limited number of years and that routine follow-up work should be covered by the permit provisions.

The board and project team will finalize contract paperwork, secure required bonds and insurance from Reitzel Excavating, and then set the contractor’s start date based on weather and crop schedules.

Questions about precise construction timing and any portions that might be done before spring were left to staff and the contractor to coordinate.