Purchasing committee approves water and road contracts, awards low bids for local utility and highway work

The White County purchasing committee approved several procurement recommendations for county and utility projects, awarding contracts for a utility water line, a water tank rehabilitation and multiple highway material and service contracts.

Staff reported seven bids for the McMinnville Highway water-line project for the Quebec-Walling Utility District; the low bidder was Passons Underground Utilities and Excavation LLC at $805,950 and staff recommended awarding to the low bidder with a supporting project engineer letter. The committee approved the recommendation.

The committee also approved an award for a Lost Creek water-tank rehabilitation and pump station contract. Two bids were received; staff recommended Noah C. Roberts Contracting at $397,872 as the low responsive bidder with engineer recommendation.

Highway department bids were considered together. For crushed stone (fresh stone) IMI of Middle Tennessee was the recommended primary vendor with Rogers Group Incorporated designated as a secondary vendor to supply items IMI cannot provide. Rogers Group also was the sole bidder on the asphalt contract and the committee recommended awarding asphalt to Rogers Group. For roadway marking, Volunteer Highway Supply Company Inc.'s bid of $0.10 per linear foot was recommended and approved.

Committee members emphasized that the purchasing committee reviews procurement process compliance and does not itself appropriate funds; any actual spending follows funding allocations made elsewhere in the budget process. Each contract award was approved by voice vote during the meeting.

The committee adjourned after the awards and offering the public an opportunity to address procurement processes.