Commissioners award unblended road oil bid to Blazer Resources and debate procurement rules for volatile commodities
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Summary
After staff reported only one responsive bid for unblended road oil, the court awarded the contract to Blazer Resources and discussed procurement thresholds, vendor registration, cost-plus bidding for price-fluctuating commodities, and local supplier shortages for cement and lime.
Van Zandt County Commissioners approved awarding a contract for unblended road oil to Blazer Resources after staff said it was the only responsive bidder for the 12/17/2025–04/30/2026 contract period.
Public works staff explained the bid results and noted several commodity lines (Portland cement, lime slurry and high-calcium lime) received no bids. Commissioners discussed the county’s $100,000 purchasing threshold, vendor registration requirements and whether to require cost-plus bids for commodities such as gasoline and oil that fluctuate in price.
One precinct official said unblended oil is roughly half the price of blended oil but can produce a lower-quality product; mixing oils on the roadbed has helped reduce costs by about 30 percent in the speaker’s experience. Commissioners expressed concern that small local vendors sometimes do not register to be on the county’s vendor list and that statutes require giving the low bidder the opportunity to match alternative proposals.
The court approved the motion to accept the unblended road oil bid from Blazer Resources by voice vote. Staff said they would revisit bidding language next year to consider cost-plus terms and to include volatile items in the standard bid packet so vendors and purchasers have clearer expectations.