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Council approves $238,135 design contract for school zone improvements amid procurement questions
Summary
Council authorized a $238,135.45 contract with Michael Baker International to design school zone improvements funded by a Transportation Alternatives grant; Councilmember Mister Zukow questioned repeated awards to the same firm and whether oral evaluations were needed.
The Allentown City Council voted to authorize a contract with Michael Baker International for $238,135.45 to provide professional design services for school zone improvements funded through a Transportation Alternatives set-aside grant.
City staff described the procurement (RFP 2025-08, Allentown School Zone Safety Enhancement Project), noting the solicitation was advertised on Feb. 21, 2025, a public bid opening occurred on March 21, 2025, and three proposals were received. An evaluation team completed technical and cost evaluations and recommended the highest-scoring proposer, Michael Baker.
During the council discussion, Councilmember Mister Zukow said he found it "interesting that Michael Baker International [is] awarded another contract from the city" and questioned why oral evaluations had not been needed and whether the firm was effectively the only vendor able to do the work. "I can't imagine at all that they're the only people that can do this work," he said.
Staff did not expand further during the council meeting; the council then voted and the presiding officer recorded seven yeas and no nays, approving the contract.
Next steps: staff will proceed with the design work under the contract and execute the Transportation Alternatives grant funding for school zone improvements.
