Alton board waives competitive bidding, authorizes up to $400,000 for Roberts Cove bridge replacement

The Alton Board of Selectmen voted May 12 to waive the town's usual three‑bid procurement requirement and authorized up to $400,000 to replace Roberts Cove bridge (bridge no. 193/289) over Beaver Brook.

Staff described a design‑build approach preferred by a contractor who has worked for Alton previously and had quoted $375,000 for the job. Public works staff (Seth) told the board the contractor uses precast bridge sections rated to HL‑93 standards and that comparable bids from other firms were higher in earlier local projects. "The price that he had quoted was, 375,000," Seth said during the presentation.

Board members debated the trade‑off between the contractor's speed and pricing versus the town's policy favoring multiple bids. One member said waiving the bid process could save time and money for this immediate need; another cautioned against setting a procurement precedent. The board ultimately voted to waive the three‑bid process and authorize the town to proceed, with authorization capped at $400,000 to cover incidentals and unforeseen conditions noted in staff memos.

The board's action directs staff to proceed with contracts consistent with that authorization and to coordinate required state filings and design updates. The transcript does not list a roll‑call vote tally by name; staff recorded the motion as passed during the meeting.

What happens next: staff will finalize contracting and scheduling with the selected contractor and proceed with the replacement work under the approved authorization. Any amendments above the $400,000 authorization will require further board approval.

Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 1038 and concluded at SEG 1306.