East Rockhill rejects municipal office renovation bids, authorizes rebid and approves escrow releases

East Rockhill Township supervisors rejected submitted bids for a municipal office addition and renovation at their Sept. 24, 2019 meeting and approved reissuing the project for bid with a reduced scope, extended completion timeline and value engineering.

Steve Baluh, the township engineer, reported that revised bid results totaled $753,521 for the base bid and $771,456 including an alternate — $25,500 less than a prior bid. On a motion by David Nyman, seconded by Gary Volovnik, the board voted to reject the bids and then voted to place the project back out for bid using a hybrid of the original scope, extending the deadline for project completion, inserting value engineering and notifying local contractors.

The board also approved two escrow authorizations during the engineer’s report: Authorization Voucher No. 9 for the Wood’s Edge Subdivision in the amount of $302.83 for construction observation and escrow administration payable to C. Robert Wynn Associates, Inc., and Authorization Voucher No. 2 for the Pennridge Airport Business Park in the amount of $110,652.06 for site preparation, erosion and sediment controls, earthwork and storm drainage payable to Pennridge Development Enterprises, Inc. All motions passed with all present voting in favor.

Why it matters: The board’s decision to rebid with value engineering aims to reduce projected construction costs for the municipal office work and to increase local contractor participation by adjusting scope and timelines. The approved escrow releases move two development projects forward and reflect active site work and inspection costs.

The engineer also reported on a withdrawn Creekside Independent Living plan; a withdrawal letter signed by Robert Mager was noted and the township solicitor requested additional verbiage, but no further action was taken at the meeting.