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Council rejects sole bid for 2026 sealcoat resurfacing after quoted price far exceeds estimate
Summary
Council rejected a single bid for the 2026 sealcoat streets project after staff reported the lone bid of $631,000 exceeded the engineer's estimate of $385,000. Councilors discussed contractor availability, alternatives and agreed to reassess in fall and during budget planning.
Burlington — The City Council voted to reject the only bid submitted for the 2026 sealcoat streets resurfacing project after staff said the lone bid was far higher than the city's estimate.
Public works staff reported that the project was estimated at $385,000 but the sole bid received was $631,000. “With that kind of margin of difference, [it did] not make sense to recommend awarding [the] bid to that one bidder,” the presenting staff member said, recommending rejection and further assessment of available contractors.
Council members discussed constraints in the local contractor market and the long-term consequences of suspending sealcoat work; one council member said many neighborhood streets remain in need and cautioned that stopping sealcoat work can leave the city further behind. Staff suggested reassessing options this fall as part of five-year road planning and considering alternatives such as thin overlays if sealcoat vendors remain unavailable.
The council approved the staff recommendation to reject the bid and directed staff to return with options during budget and planning conversations later in the year.
What's next: Staff will explore contractor availability, alternative resurfacing approaches and how to allocate funds in upcoming budget planning. The council indicated desire to revisit the topic in the fall.
