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Local contractor questions rejected Capital Water bid; council asks for engineer review
Summary
A local contractor told the council his bid for the Capital Water project was rejected with no prior notice and said his price was $600,000 under project estimates; staff said all bids were rejected and cited a discrepancy in excavation versus boring percentages and apologized for lack of engineer outreach; council asked staff to involve the engineer and reconsider.
A local contractor addressed the Lock Haven City Council on Jan. 19 to say his bid for the Capital Water project had been rejected without notification or an engineer review. He said his bid was roughly $600,000 under the projected budget and expressed concern that the rebid left his company exposed because competitors now see his pricing.
City staff acknowledged the communication lapse and said that all bids had been rejected and that the contractor's bid contained a discrepancy between boring and excavation percentages. The staff member apologized for engineers not contacting the contractor during the intervening month and suggested the council could defer action to allow engineers to review the bid packet.
Council members asked staff to schedule a follow‑up meeting with the city's engineer and to consider giving the contractor an opportunity to present clarifying documentation. One council member suggested tabling related agenda items to allow further review.
Next steps: Council asked staff to involve the engineer, provide a written explanation to the contractor, and consider a special meeting or placing the item on a subsequent agenda after review.
