Kaufman County court selects HDR to negotiate FM 741 engineering and approves multiple contracts, road actions

Kaufman County Commissioners Court on Oct. 30 approved a string of routine and project-related items, including authorization to negotiate with HDR for engineering on the FM 741 bridge at U.S. 175, a month-to-month extension of solid-waste services while the county completes a new RFP, and a 12-month renewal of the county jail health services contract.

The court voted unanimously on the package of items after brief presentations by county staff. The most significant item was the court’s approval to begin contract negotiations with HDR for plans, specifications and environmental work for the FM 741 bridge project; if negotiations with HDR do not produce an acceptable contract, the court instructed staff to open talks with the second-ranked firm.

Brenda Calabay, an ITS/transportation staff member who represented the county selection committee, said the RFQ produced 13 respondents and that a selection committee with two county members and two TxDOT representatives placed HDR first and Bridal Farmer second. "The recommendations for the best qualified firm is HDR," Calabay said, adding the two top firms were "only 3 points apart in score." She said the engineering phase is expected to take "about 12 to 18 months," after which the engineering deliverables will be donated to TxDOT for funding and…