Moore awards Phase 2 public-works mowing contract to Tuscanum after reference checks

The Moore City Council on March 17 awarded bid number 2025-11 for Phase 2 of the city’s Public Works mowing contract to Tuscanum after staff told the council references for the lowest bidder showed reliability concerns.

City staff said the city received four bids for the Phase 2 mowing contract. The lowest bidder had submitted a $90,000 figure, but staff reported that one of the references rated the bidder a four out of 10 for meeting the mowing schedule and said the bidder had been terminated from a prior contract. A Public Works staff member told the council the reference “said no. They were not dependable. And they had, in fact, already terminated their contract.” Based on those references, staff recommended awarding the contract to the next-lowest responsive bidder, identified in the meeting as Tuscanum; the council voted to approve that recommendation.

The staff presentation said contract terms mirror Phase 1: an initial five-year term with annual renewals to the council and an option for additional one-year renewals. The presentation also said any annual contract increase would be tied to the Southern Region consumer price index.

A council member made a motion to approve the award and a second was recorded. The roll call vote recorded yes votes from Sid Porter, Adam Webb, Kathy Griffith and Louie Williams; the item passed.

The staff report and council action did not specify the awarded contract dollar amount for Tuscanum in the meeting record. The lowest bidder’s $90,000 amount was identified during the staff summary but staff told the council the lowest bidder was judged unreliable based on references.

The contract award will be administered by Public Works staff under the terms described at the meeting.