Council rejects Milton Street sewer bids, approves scaled design and inspection contract with Dunaway Engineering

The City Council of Josephine on May 12 rejected all bids received for the Milton Street sanitary sewer and street rehabilitation project and approved a separate proposal from Dunaway Engineering to provide engineering design, administration and inspection services aimed at a more cost-effective scope.

Staff told council that the lowest bid received for the Milton Street project came in at 1.5 and the highest at 3.2 (amounts as stated in the bid results presented to council). Because the lowest bid exceeded the city’s budget expectations, staff and the city engineer proposed value-engineering and a revised design to reduce cost.

Council voted to reject all bids for the Milton Street project and then approved a proposal from Dunaway Engineering to provide engineering design, administration and inspection for the 12-inch gravity line extension project so a re-scoped project can be rebid. Council discussion included a plan to have Jacob’s office complete the design changes and to pursue a more local contractor when the project returns to bid.

Why it matters: the project is intended to rehabilitate sewer infrastructure and a street; higher-than-expected bids delay construction and may require scope adjustments. Approving the engineering proposal begins the re-design process aimed at a lower total contract cost.

Record and next steps: the council approved the rejection of bids and the Dunaway contract by recorded votes (each motion recorded as carried). Staff will finalize the revised design and return to council with a new contract and likely a resolution declaring the need to proceed. The council also authorized Dunaway to perform the design and administration for the revised project.