Roseau council unanimously hires Houston Engineering to design industrial park

The Roseau City Council voted unanimously April 15 to hire Houston Engineering to design the Roseau Industrial Park, selecting the firm after reviewing three competitor proposals and a staff scoring process.

Community Development Coordinator Todd Peterson told the council the city solicited proposals in the Roseau Times-Region and on the city website and directly contacted six regional firms. The city received proposals from Widseth, Houston Engineering and a joint team of LHB/KLJ. Peterson, Assistant Utility Superintendent Mike Picard and EDA board member Jack Swanson reviewed and scored the submissions using a weighted system that accounted for design and construction experience (35%), EDA experience (20%), firm history and location (20%) and price (25%).

Houston Engineering had the highest average score, 8.60, followed closely by LHB/KLJ at 8.58 and Widseth at 8.21. Council members raised a particular concern that LHB/KLJ’s proposal did not include full-time construction inspection, and that the project would likely require more on-site inspection hours than LHB/KLJ had budgeted. That concern factored into the council’s deliberations.

Brady Johnson moved to select Houston Engineering as the highest-rated RFP and to proceed with engaging the firm for the Roseau Industrial Park design project; Amy Bassingthwaite seconded the motion. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the assembled council: Mayor Dan Fabian and council members Pat Novacek, Oliver Ullman, Amy Bassingthwaite and Brady Johnson.

The council did not specify a contract amount or timeline in the public minutes. The next public step recorded is the council’s approval to proceed with Houston Engineering as the selected firm; staff are expected to begin negotiation and engagement for design services under the city’s procurement process.