Spokane Valley awards $1.5M street maintenance and $748,744 sweeping contracts amid procurement questions

Spokane Valley City Council voted Feb. 18 to award two public-works contracts to local vendors: a Street and Stormwater Maintenance and Repair Services contract to Inland Asphalt Inc. for up to $1.5 million and a 2025 Street Sweeping Services contract to AAA Sweeping for up to $748,744.

Engineering Manager Adam Jackson summarized the street/stormwater procurement: the city rebid a multi-year, unit-price contract after the previous agreement expired; Inland Asphalt and Poe Asphalt submitted bids, and Inland was the apparent low bidder. Jackson told council the city has inspectors and contract specifications to ensure work meets standards. “We have inspectors that follow-up and follow the crews, and make sure everything's done exactly the way it should be and meets … specifications,” Jackson said.

Council discussion focused on procurement process and best-value analysis. Councilmember Merkel and others asked why the city did not use a best-value evaluation for the larger maintenance contract and whether performance data from past contracts was quantified. Staff and the city manager replied that different procurement rules apply to public-works contracts and that the city has a long history with both bidders. John Holman and Public Works staff emphasized that Inland is a local company and that the unit-price model batches work to save cost and staff time.

On the street sweeping contract, AAA Sweeping was the sole bidder — a point that drew significant public comment. Resident Mike Dolan said he observed excessive sweeping on Evergreen and asked whether the contract specifies routes or includes penalties: “If there is a specified route or map, then are there penalties for them not completing a certain street?” Jackson said the contract includes a sweeping plan and that nonperformance can trigger withholding payment, but acknowledged he needed to check whether the contract specifically addresses “oversweeping” perception. Jackson said staff would follow up and work with the contractor to clarify routes and transparency.

Councilmember Merkel and others pressed for more price-comparison data with county or state contracts. Staff said historical comparisons were not prepared in every case for the sweeping contract; Jackson and Holman said the equipment-intensive nature of sweeping limits the number of local bidders. Councilmember Wick and others supported the procurement model as a cost-saving, batched approach that lets staff prioritize streets.

Both motions passed. The maintenance contract motion (Inland Asphalt Inc., not to exceed $1,500,000) and the street sweeping contract (AAA Sweeping, not to exceed $748,744) were seconded and approved, with council members voting in favor and one councilmember (Yeager) excused earlier in the meeting.

Staff said they will provide follow-up information on comparative prices, documented past performance, and the sweeping contract’s routing and penalty language. The city also said inspectors will review work to ensure it meets Department of Transportation specifications.