Commissioners approve $45,000 architect agreement for building repairs after bidding questions

The Utah County Commission on Sept. 9 approved a $45,000 agreement to hire the architect who prepared the original plans to design repairs and produce bidding documents for the Health and Justice Building parking structure and for EIFS (stucco) repairs at the Utah County Security Center.

Commissioner Lee questioned why the county was not seeking competing bids for the architect work, saying, "Anytime that I see an agreement that doesn't go through a process of bidding, I'm gonna scrutinize a little bit harder." Lee asked whether the administration had reached out to other firms to verify cost savings from returning to the original architect.

County staff replied that GSBS — the firm that did the original designs — would produce the design fixes and the bidding documents, and that returning to the original designer could save time and money because it avoids having a new firm “start over from where GSBS had left off.” Staff said the contract would allow the county to go to general contractors with complete bid-ready documents once designs are finished.

The commission voted to approve the agreement. Commissioner Lee made the motion; the chair suspended the rules to provide a second. Commissioner Ainge abstained because he said he could not hear the in-room discussion due to ongoing audio problems. The chair recorded the motion as carrying with two ayes and one abstention.

The agreement is limited to design and procurement documents; staff indicated the actual construction contract(s) will be put out to bid using the documents produced under this agreement. The commission did not provide a specific timeline for design completion during the recorded discussion.

The commission moved on to other consent items after the vote.