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Committee approves up to $1.23 million award to Sona Construction for Metzenbaum Building elevator to meet ADA entry compliance
Summary
The procurement committee approved Resolution 20250189, awarding Sona Construction a contract not to exceed $1,229,000 (requisition 15146) to construct an elevator shaft and elevator at the Metzenbaum Building to remedy an ADA entry noncompliance; the vendor’s diversity compliance was reviewed and approved by an administrative reconsideration panel.
The Cuyahoga County procurement and contracting committee on May 21 approved an award to Sona Construction not to exceed $1,229,000 to modernize and add an elevator at the Metzenbaum Building, work county staff said is intended to bring the building’s entry into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Nicole English of Public Works told the committee the bid package — requisition 15146 — drew three bids. The lowest bidder was found technically and diversity-noncompliant; the second-lowest declined to pursue administrative reconsideration; and the third bidder, Sona Construction, was later found compliant after review by the administrative reconsideration panel. "The lowest bidder was non compliant with the technical requirements and non compliant with diversity," English said, describing the review process that led staff to select Sona.
Lenore Lockett of the Department of Equity and Inclusion explained how county goals for this procurement were set: 6% for small business enterprises (SBE), 14% for minority-owned businesses (MBE), and 5% for women-owned businesses (WBE). She said goals are based on market data and are not quotas; vendors short of a specific goal may appeal and present evidence of their outreach. Lockett said the vendor that appealed had WBE participation at about 1.7% (below the 5% goal) but exceeded the SBE (9.51%) and MBE (20%) goals, and the administrative panel determined the bidder provided sufficient documentation to be deemed compliant. Lockett summarized the county’s standard that outreach be documented at least one week before the bid due date and said in this case the bidder’s outreach fell close to the bid deadline but the panel accepted the explanation.
Committee members asked how long the work would take and whether it involved a single elevator. English said the project involves installing one elevator and additional construction to build the shaft and related work; she estimated the work would take less than a year and said she would provide a precise schedule from the project lead, Matt Reimer. English also noted the Metzenbaum Building houses some court functions, including juvenile court, and that the prime contractor being awarded, Sona Construction, is itself listed as an SBE and MBE.
The award was approved by the committee on a voice vote; the livestreamed proceedings did not include a numeric roll-call tally. The item will proceed to the next legislative steps identified by county procurement rules.
