Delaware County Commissioners take bids under advisement for Community Crossings grant road projects

Delaware County Commissioners opened bids on March 26 for road projects proposed under the Community Crossings matching grant and voted to take the submissions under advisement while the county seeks funding approval from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).

At the special 2 p.m. meeting, county staff listed four road segments included in the solicitation: County Road 775 South (State Road 3 to County Road 50 West), County Road 550 South (County Road 461 East to U.S. 35), County Road 600 West (State Road 28 to Gaston town limits) and County Road 650 East (County Road 350 North to Albany town limits). Staff read three bidders' line-item amounts and grand totals into the record.

First Brooks Construction submitted bids totaling $1,734,493 (CR 775 S – $400,631; CR 550 S – $249,511; CR 600 W – $418,460; CR 650 E – $665,891). As the Clerk read that package, the Clerk confirmed a grand total: "The grand total is 1,734,493." ENB Paving's submission included an amended quantity for CR 600 W (noted in the record as 12,500 linear feet rather than 33,335), and ENB and First Brooks were the only bidders who acknowledged the corrected quantities. ENB's line items were read as CR 775 S – $388,730.14; CR 550 S – $260,230.04; CR 600 W – $410,440.14; CR 650 E – $647,963.00 (transcribed grand total contains numeric inconsistencies in the record). DC Construction Services of Pendleton submitted a package the Clerk read and corrected during the meeting: CR 775 S – $459,851.15; CR 550 S – $331,841.40 (corrected in the record); CR 600 W – $532,743.32; CR 650 E – $840,925.25; grand total $2,165,322.12.

County staff asked the board to take all bids under advisement and said the county would submit the packages to INDOT for CCMG funding approval; staff stated INDOT will notify the county when to proceed and that a contract would be scheduled for a future commissioners meeting if INDOT approves the funding. A motion to take the bids under advisement was made and seconded and passed on a recorded roll call vote. The record shows 'Yes' votes from Commissioner Brand, Commissioner Rian and the entry transcribed as "Regener."

After taking the bids under advisement, a motion to recess was made and seconded; commissioners recorded 'Yes' votes shown in the transcript as Commissioner Henry, "Commissioner BR," and "Commissioner Reagan," and the meeting recessed. The county did not award contracts at the March 26 special meeting; awards and contract signing were described as contingent on INDOT's approval of CCMG funding.

The record includes a revision to ENB Paving's quantities for CR 600 W that staff noted in the meeting; staff also said only ENB and First Brooks acknowledged the amended quantities. The transcript contains several numeric transcription inconsistencies in one bidder's grand-total line; county staff confirmed corrected line items in the record during the meeting.

Next steps: the county will submit the bids to INDOT for CCMG funding review and will place any approved contract on a future commissioners meeting for execution.