Parma Heights council awards Nathan Hale stormwater contract to Independence Excavating

City Engineer Pietro DiFranco told Parma Heights City Council on March 13 that Independence Excavating should be awarded the Nathan Hale Storm Basin construction contract as the "lowest and best" bidder, and council voted unanimously to accept his recommendation.

DiFranco summarized a two-round bidding process that began with bids rejected last summer for exceeding estimates and continued with a February 2 rebid. He said council’s charter authority allows consideration of factors beyond price — including experience, financial condition, facilities, prior performance, management capacity and the ability to self-perform work — and that Independence scored higher than the low bidder, REDCON, on those measures. "It is my firm recommendation that the City Council award the project to Independence Excavating as the lowest and best bidder," DiFranco said.

The engineer told council that Independence Excavating, a long-established regional contractor, demonstrated several local projects of similar or greater scope, owns equipment and facilities, proposes to self-perform about 81.9% of the work and offered a seven-month schedule (shorter than the nine-month goal in the specifications). Independence additionally proposed a dump site roughly six miles from the project to speed hauling, traffic mitigation measures using Sesquicentennial Park Road and Pleasant Valley Road, on-site dust and mud controls, and a regional safety manager supporting the superintendent. DiFranco said REDCON, the lowest-priced bidder, is a newer company with limited comparable project experience and relies more heavily on subcontractors.

DiFranco also noted that partial funding for the basin will come from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and that the basin is intended to improve regional drainage for portions of Parma Heights and neighboring Parma, including Tri-C. He cited an expected high volume of truck traffic during construction and said Independence's plan would reduce neighborhood impacts and pavement restoration costs.

Councilman Stavole moved to accept the engineer's recommendation; Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion. On recorded roll call the motion carried with all voting members in favor. The council directed the administration to award the contract to Independence Excavating and to return bid bonds to unsuccessful bidders.

The city engineer's report and the council vote end the competitive award phase; contract execution, preconstruction coordination and a project schedule will follow under the city's contracting procedures. The meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.