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Hart County commissioners vote to rebid delayed road-striping contract in smaller increments
Summary
After more than a year without striping work on county roads, the board directed staff to rebid the project in smaller chunks to attract local contractors and reduce bid-bond barriers; the motion passed unanimously.
The Hart County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to reissue the county's stalled road-striping contract in smaller increments after commissioners said the original, countywide package has sat uncompleted for more than a year.
Commissioner Dorsy, who requested the item be added to the agenda, said the single large bid may be excluding smaller contractors. "If you break this down in sections and bid it out section by section, see, I think we'll get a better response," he said during the discussion, urging the board to keep the existing contract as a benchmark while rebidding smaller projects.
Public Works Director Jason Spencer told commissioners he had been calling other counties and contractors for options and noted some firms have purchased their own striping equipment recently. Spencer also offered an interim alternative: reflective pavement markers (RPMs), which he estimated at roughly $2.75–$8 each, spaced about every 20 feet; he calculated a ballpark of about $6,200 per mile for RPMs at the higher unit price.
"There's nothing whatsoever" preventing the county from splitting and rebidding the work, Commissioner Brown said, and he seconded Dorsy's motion. The board approved language directing the county administrator and public works director to rebid the striping contract in smaller increments and return with recommendations; the motion carried by recorded voice vote of 5–0.
The board asked staff to return with a scope for how the work would be divided, an estimated cost comparison to the current award, and any implications for state procurement rules. Commissioners emphasized they did not want to reject the existing contract outright but to keep it as a price benchmark while seeking more local competition.
Next steps: staff will develop specifications for multiple, smaller bid packages and bring the proposals back to the commission for approval before issuing the rebids.
