Council rejects all bids for Owens Field softball complex after bids exceed budget

The Guthrie City Council unanimously voted on March 3 to reject all bids for Phase 1 of the Owens Field softball complex after staff reported the lowest responsive combination of bids totaled $6,500,000, above the project budget.

City staff explained the procurement and planning timeline: multiple bid packages were opened Jan. 22 and, after review, the low responsive combinations exceeded the approved project budget. “The lowest responsive combination of the bids totaled $6,500,000,” a staff member said during the presentation.

Crossland construction management and Myers Engineering representatives told the council they have already identified value-engineering opportunities — removing or redesigning high-cost items such as an oversized concession building HVAC system, reducing curb-and-gutter length, and rethinking some structural details — and will rework the design to better match the $4.7 million budget. Crossland said it will vet the revised scope with subcontractors and return a rebid package informed by market feedback so the third solicitation is based on realistic subcontractor pricing.

Staff also cautioned about federal-grant procurement rules tied to the project. The staff presentation noted federally funded components require Buy America / Build America (BABA) compliance for certain equipment; that constraint reduces vendor options for some specialty items, including sports-field lighting, and can increase cost. “Due to the federal grant requirements…we are required to adhere to the BABA procurement policy,” staff said.

Council asked for an updated schedule; staff replied they plan to meet in early April to finalize the revised documents, advertise again and estimate a 7–8 month construction schedule once bidding and contracting are complete. The council’s rejection of the bids was unanimous, and staff will bring a redesigned, Title-61-compliant bid package back for council consideration.