Sandpoint opens bids for 2025 CIPP project; lowest bid from Vortex Services at $525,995

The City of Sandpoint opened five sealed bids June 2 for bid number 26-3400-1, the 2025 CIPP project, procurement officer Heather Faircloth said at the start of the public bid opening.

"My name is Heather Faircloth and I'm the grants, contracts, and procurement officer for the city of Sandpoint," Faircloth said as she announced the event at 2:02 p.m. at Sandpoint City Hall and on Zoom. She said a recording of the opening would be posted on the city's solicitation page within 24 to 48 hours.

The clerk reported five sealed submissions were received and opened in sequence. The bids, as read on the record, were:

- Iron Horse Pipeline Services LLC: "Total bid amount is $680,468.00," read by staff.

- Whitaker Construction: the opening recorded the figure as "714,000 $601 and 0 cents"; the audio/transcript format for this amount was unclear and is reported here as read in the recording.

- Integrity Inspection Solutions: $797,745.65.

- Institute Form Technologies LLC (referred to in the recording as "Instaform"): $742,664.00; a person identified as Brad acknowledged attendance during the reading.

- Vortex Services: $525,995.00; a Vortex representative participated digitally and was acknowledged by staff.

For each submission the clerk confirmed the presence of the bidder's public works contractor license, a completed bid form, recognition of any addenda, a bid bond and a subcontractors form, as read into the record.

Faircloth thanked attendees and closed the public opening: "This concludes our bid opening for bid number 26-3400-1 for the 2025 CIPP project," she said.

A recording of the opening will be available on the city's solicitation page within 24 to 48 hours, Faircloth said. The transcript does not include any staffing recommendations or contract awards; the document on the solicitation page and subsequent city procurement records will show next steps and any official award decisions.