Egg Harbor City council awards $2.27M stormwater contract subject to I-Bank approval

The Egg Harbor City Council voted June 11 to award the base bid for the city’s phase-one stormwater infrastructure improvements to Asphalt Paving Systems for $2,271,700, with the award contingent on approval from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (I-Bank). The resolution passed by roll call among the council members present.

City Engineer Ryan explained the decision and the rationale for acting now: the I-Bank loan must be closed before June 30 to secure principal-forgiveness funding; delaying the award risks moving the project into the next fiscal year and losing available funding. Ryan said the project covers sewer/storm infrastructure in the Beethoven Street area, several terraces and a small stretch over to Aragon.

Ryan also described the procurement issue that led to rejecting the low bidder. The city’s solicitor and staff determined that the low bidder’s submission exceeded an allowable mobilization amount in the bid specifications by roughly $10,000. The solicitor (Chris) said the bidder proposed shifting line items after the fact, which the city could not permit under the bid rules; the bid therefore contained a material defect and was rejected as non-responsive.

The council discussed base versus alternate bid scopes. Ryan said the base bid reflects the scope the city can fund under the I-Bank program and that final restoration (curb-to-curb restoration and later milling/overlay) is included in the program’s eligible work. Once the loan closes and construction proceeds, the city plans to let disturbed surfaces settle at least 90 days before final milling and overlay.

Outcome and next steps: The award is conditional on concurrence and loan closing with the I-Bank. If I-Bank guidance requires changes, staff said they could rescind the award and re-award at a later meeting. The city also has a separate $2 million planning and design grant to help design the remainder of the stormwater program.