Port St. Joe tables downtown waterline award after commissioners cite past contractor performance concerns

The Port St. Joe City Commission voted May 21 to table action on RFP 202409, the downtown waterline replacement (phase 2), while staff assembles documentation about past contractor performance and the city attorney reviews the procurement record.

Staff said the city is using a state revolving fund and noted the currently awarded amount left $49,000 available before additional city funds would be required. Commissioners and members of the public questioned whether the lowest bidder, Monolith, should be selected given prior issues with change orders and what some described as substandard work on a previous project. One commissioner urged caution, saying low bids sometimes lead to costly change orders later. A resident asked whether the city could disqualify a bidder based on past performance and the board discussed the legal standard for awarding public contracts.

The city attorney reminded the commission that Florida law directs award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, but she also said evidence of nonresponsibility could inform a decision. Commissioners voted to table the award for two weeks to gather past emails and documentation to support any future action, including the possibility of rejecting the low bidder.

Next steps: Staff will collect performance records and correspondence, provide them to the attorney for review, and return to the commission at a subsequent meeting for a decision.