MDOT agenda asks executive director to authorize multiple preconstruction and design work assignments

Staff presented a series of preconstruction and planning authorizations for the commission’s consideration on Aug. 13, asking the executive director to execute multiple work assignments and supplemental agreements under master contracts for design, subsurface utility engineering and planning services.

Lee Fredericks, preconstruction, read aloud agenda items that asked the commission to authorize the executive director to sign specific work assignments and supplemental agreements under existing master contracts. Key requests included:

- Authorize execution of Work Assignment No. 10 under the roadway design services master contract with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. for Phase A roadway and right-of-way plans related to listed bridge replacements in Yalobusha County; the work assignment amount will not exceed $281,556.31.

- Authorize Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to Work Assignment No. 3 under the bridge services master contract with WSP USA Inc. for Phase C design review and construction engineering services for replacement of bridges over the Homochitto River on US 98; the supplemental amount will not exceed $93,075.44 for a revised contract total of $311,069.34.

- Authorize multiple engineering utility agreements, routine utility agreements and condemnation orders listed on the agenda.

- Authorize execution of a corrective quitclaim deed to James C. Cochran to correct the grantee name in recorded deed book entries in George County.

- Approve the Construction Utility and Permitting Division’s Utility Relocation Manual. Staff said the manual complies with Code of Federal Regulations Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter G, Part 645 (subparts A, B and C) and United States Code Title 23, sections 123 and 109 for utility relocation reimbursements, and asked the executive director to certify the manual for use.

- Authorize a Work Assignment under the Planning and Environmental Services master contract with Garber LLC to provide traffic analysis, purpose-and-need development, access management, Phase A roadway design, environmental studies, public involvement and construction cost estimating for adding two lanes to US 11 in Forest and Lamar counties; the assignment amount was listed not to exceed $812,084.59.

- Authorize a Work Assignment under the Subsurface Utility Engineering master contract with ECS Southeast LLC for subsurface utility engineering services on US 90 in Jackson County; the amount was listed not to exceed $1,198,166.94.

Fredericks read the items into the record and commissioners asked a few clarifying questions about operations and timing, including an item revising a sidewalk and drainage project (Byer Drive) that added 20 working days to the contract without added cost. Commissioners asked general questions but did not record additional substantive amendments during the presentation.

The items were presented as authorizations for the executive director to sign under the department’s existing contracting authority; staff cited contract numbers and dollar limits for each request on the record.