Danbury board rejects apparent low bidder for school elevator after performance complaints, awards contract to next-lowest bidder

The Danbury Board of Awards voted June 25 to decline the apparent low bidder and award the Hayestown Avenue School elevator contract to the next-lowest bidder after staff and outside reviewers raised performance and schedule concerns.

Purchasing Agent Chuck Bolkier read two letters into the record describing problems on a prior project performed by Diversity Construction Group, the apparent low bidder at $958,000. A letter from Assistant Fire Chief William Lounsbury described the earlier Station 26 addition as “plagued with delays, substandard workmanship and unresolved deficiencies,” and said numerous trades delivered work below acceptable standards, creating persistent leaks and other unresolved issues. A second letter from Jim Wilson, project manager at Fry Architecture, said the same project—originally a 400-day contract signed Sept. 16, 2021—remained incomplete nearly four years later.

Antonio Inderola, the city's director of public works and city engineer, told the board he had personally inspected the prior job and had “major concerns” about the apparent low bidder's ability to meet tight schedules and the technical tolerances required for the school elevator, particularly because the work is tied to ADA compliance and the school reopens in August.

"This is a critical project that involves incredible supervision and timely execution," Inderola said, arguing the city could not risk assigning the work to a contractor with documented performance and coordination failures. He recommended the board move to the next-lowest bidder.

The board then voted to proceed with the recommendation. Chuck Bolkier identified the next-lowest bidder as J.A. Rose at $1,131,076; the board approved the award unanimously, with members noting the award would be contingent on executing the required agreement and closing outstanding contract paperwork.

The record includes repeated references to punch-list items dating back to January 2023 that remain open on the prior project and to hundreds of hours of administrative and legal work spent pursuing remedies, according to the letters read into the record. The board did not approve any additional remedies in the meeting; members focused on choosing an option the city believed reduced schedule and risk exposure for the upcoming school year.

Procedural next steps: the award is contingent on final contract documents and the city will proceed to execute purchase orders and agreements as required. The board did not vote on, nor direct staff to pursue, additional contractor sanctions during this meeting.