Council committee adds contractor to Akron housing rehab roster under one-year, $600,000 ceiling

The Planning Committee recommended authorizing the mayor or designee to enter into contract authority with Advanced Coatings and Maintenance Solutions LLC for construction services under the city's housing rehabilitation programs, declaring an emergency.

Doug Taylor of the city's housing division told the committee the ordinance would add the contractor to a closed pool of vendors who may bid on lead abatement, roofing and Lead Safe Ohio projects. He said the city currently maintains roughly 15 approved contractors; the new firm would be the 16th and would be offered a probationary, one-year blanket contract with a $600,000 maximum value. Firms only receive payments once they win and satisfactorily complete individual job agreements under the blanket contract, Taylor said.

"This contractor had done work with Summit County and I reviewed the work, felt that he does good work. So I'm giving him a probationary contract for one year, dollars 600,000 max to bid on projects in our lead abatement programs, roofing programs, and our Lead Safe Ohio programs," Taylor told the committee.

Councilmembers pressed staff on oversight, how contractors join and leave the pool, and how complaints are handled. Taylor said applicants must submit a packet, be registered in the federal SAM system, meet insurance requirements and pass city reviews. He said inspectors review completed work, the city enforces warranties and the division has removed about nine contractors from the program over 15 years for unsatisfactory work.

The committee approved suspension of the rules to advance the item to full council.