Public Works Committee moves to waive apprenticeship bidding rules for crack-filling project to restore competition

Kenosha’s Public Works Committee on June 9 received and filed an informational request to waive subsections c and d of section 5.001 for Project 25-1019, a routine crack-filling contract, after staff said the ordinance’s apprenticeship requirements discouraged small local firms from bidding.

Public Works Director Mister Kader said the new bidding requirements, adopted a year ago, have had little effect on larger projects but have reduced competition on smaller contracts. "The companies who do this type of work are smaller companies that most of them have trouble being part of the apprenticeship program that is part of the bidding requirements," Kader said, and noted that last year the city received only one bid for crack filling.

Kader said waiving the apprenticeship rule for this project is intended to restore competitive bidding, noting, "So by waiving these requirements for this project, we feel that we're gonna bring back the competitive bid and it's intent," and estimating the city would typically get three to four bidders without the requirement.

A committee member moved to receive and file the informational waiver request; the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The action does not itself adopt a permanent rule change but allows the department to proceed with the alternative procurement approach for the identified crack-filling project.

The committee did not record a detailed roll-call tally in the transcript; the motion was carried by voice vote. Staff said they will proceed with the procurement as described and seek to attract more bidders.