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Council approves airport construction‑oversight change order after debate over competitive process
Summary
Council debated and then approved a change order to CMT for construction‑administration services on an airport runway project; staff said FAA and MoDOT construction‑observation requirements drive the need for continuous on‑site oversight and that the county is only responsible for 10% of costs under grant splits.
Council removed a CMT change order from the consent agenda for discussion, and councilmembers debated whether the county should issue an open solicitation for construction‑administration services or accept a change order to the engineer of record.
Councilman Tim Baker questioned why the change order significantly exceeds the original contract amount and whether the county should request competitive proposals. County staff and the airport manager responded that the airport previously selected CMT as engineer‑of‑record and that FAA and MoDOT construction‑observation requirements generally call for continuous on‑site observation, documentation, and related services that raise the price. Staff said that the overall project is being funded largely by FAA and MoDOT grants (approximately a 90/10 split) and that the county’s share of the additional construction‑administration cost would be limited to its 10% portion under the reimbursement arrangement.
Baker moved to seek qualifications or proposals for construction‑oversight firms to ensure competitive pricing; after discussion and a second, the council ultimately approved the change order, with staff saying the estimate was in line with similar FAA/MoDOT projects and that rebidding could risk federal requirements or project consistency.
Council asked staff to monitor pricing practices and to document the procurement path in case future projects present alternative bidders.
