Caribou Utilities District board accepts low bid for water‑main project pending package review
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Summary
The board moved to accept Soderbergh Construction’s low bid of $1,472,000 for a water‑main replacement project, pending administrative review by the district’s engineer; members said grant funding and principal forgiveness will reduce the borrowing need.
The Caribou Utilities District Board of Trustees moved to accept the low bid for a planned water‑main replacement project, the board heard at its April 8 meeting.
Matt, a committee member, read the bids aloud: “From highest to lowest, Trombley Construction was $1,817,000 … Magillan Incorporated at $1,530,000 … And the low bidder was Soderbergh Construction at $1,472,000,” he said. Committee member (speaker 6) made the motion to accept the Soderbergh bid pending a review that the bid package is complete; the chair confirmed a second and called the vote, which passed (no roll‑call tally was provided).
The chair noted the district received a $1,000,000 grant for a related river crossing project and said that a state program will forgive 35% of the remaining principal on the district’s awardable balance, reducing the amount the district will need to borrow for that work. Staff said Derrigo Engineering (the district’s engineering consultant) will review bid packages for completeness before the district executes any contract.
Background: three contractors submitted bids and nine firms downloaded the bid documents. Board members said accepting the low bid now is contingent on an administrative completeness check and on the district’s engineering review. The chair described the bid opening as a procedural readout of totals and explained the district will not finalize award until the review is complete.
What happens next: Derrigo Engineering will review the low bid package for completeness and the board will proceed with contract negotiation and execution after that administrative review. The board indicated it expects the district’s finance and engineering staff to return with final cost and borrowing details once all adjustments and grants are applied.
