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Village board urged to accept single bid for lead-service-line replacements to secure IEPA funds
Summary
Staff told the Village of Midlothian Board that only one contractor bid the lead service-line replacement job and recommended awarding the contract to access about $3 million in IEPA principal-forgiveness funding before the program deadline.
Midlothian officials presented a single bid for the village's lead service-line replacement project and staff recommended awarding the contract to avoid losing state funding.
David, the village engineer, told trustees the market produced only one bid and that timing tied to the Illinois EPA (IEPA) fiscal-year deadline limited the village's options. He said rebidding would likely delay the project past the IEPA window and risk losing roughly $3 million in principal-forgiveness funds allocated to the village for these replacements.
Trustees framed the decision as a trade-off between price competition and preserving the funding package. The board did not take final action on the award at this meeting; staff recommended placing the contract approval on a forthcoming agenda so the village can move quickly if the board decides to accept the lone bid.
Why it matters: principal-forgiveness funds from IEPA can substantially reduce the local cost of replacing lead service lines; missing the funding window could shift expenses to village ratepayers. The engineer said the expected scope and schedule of work mean the village must act promptly to preserve the IEPA allocation.
What happens next: Staff will prepare contract documents and an agenda report for board consideration at the next meeting so trustees can decide whether to award the contract to the lone bidder.
