Pickens County considers overhaul of 1997 procurement code to speed projects and boost local bidding

Pickens County heard detailed recommendations Monday to modernize its procurement code, a rewrite county staff said is intended to speed construction work, improve cost predictability and increase participation from local contractors.

Dwayne Green, a civil engineer and long-time local contractor, told council the current code—written in 1997—largely channels projects into a single design-bid-build method and recommended several changes: require an in‑house estimate for construction projects greater than $100,000 (done either by staff or by hired consultants), consider alternative delivery methods (design‑build and construction‑manager‑at‑risk) when appropriate, and create term or on‑call delivery contracts so the county can negotiate set terms with a small roster of prequalified contractors for routine or small projects.

"There are better ways," Green said, summarizing the alternatives and arguing that in-house estimates and alternative delivery methods can prevent surprises and reduce the total project cost.

Council members asked whether the county has staff capacity to produce reliable internal estimates and whether updating the code would attract more bidders; staff said the approach could require outside assistance for some projects but could ultimately lead to more local contractor participation. Appraiser Dale supported the change, saying it would save the county money and avoid shocks from unexpected cost estimates.

Administrator Roer told council staff expects to provide a draft procurement code for consideration at the council's first meeting in November. Council and staff flagged that updates will require decisions about software, vendor management and the scope of procurement beyond construction work.

No formal vote was held; the presentation concluded with agreement to return a draft ordinance to the council for review.