Fulton County fiscal court rejects single high bid for new fire station, opts to rebid

The Fulton County fiscal court voted to reject the lone construction bid for a planned new fire station after the bid came in far above the architect’s estimate.

Court members heard that the architect’s estimate for the station was roughly $1.12 million–$1.30 million, while the single bid returned at about $2.142 million — nearly $900,000 higher than projected. Speaker 7 told the court the architect suggested five minor specification changes intended to reduce costs. The court discussed two paths: rebid the full project with the revised specifications or solicit bids for a shell-only build and complete interior finishes later.

Speaker 7 said the returned bid was “way out of line” with the architect’s estimate and that the contractor who submitted the bid appeared to subcontract most of the work, raising concerns about competitive pricing. Speaker 3 argued the court should not accept a single bid on a project of this magnitude and moved to reject the bid. The motion was seconded, called for a vote and approved by voice vote.

The court instructed staff to prepare revised specifications and to schedule a special meeting to review rebidding strategies, including options to limit scope (shell only) or alter procurement conditions to encourage competition. A motion to reject the bid was recorded and carried; no individual vote tallies or a named mover were specified in the transcript.

The next procedural step is a special meeting to examine the five recommended specification changes, determine whether to rebid the entire project or a shell-only contract, and reissue the bid notices to solicit competitive offers.

The court’s decision to reject the single bid is procedural; it does not commit funds beyond those already discussed, and the rebid will determine the final procurement timeline.