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Council pauses HVAC award after staff notes inconsistent bids; seeks written clarifications
Summary
Councilors raised questions about differing HVAC bid specifications (3-ton vs 5-ton) and multiple quotes from the same bidder; they asked staff to obtain written clarifications from vendors and tabled the motor-control-room award.
Staff presented three quotes for air-conditioning work in a motor-control room and related spaces. The bids included a Green Air quote for $11,952 (listed as a 3-ton solution in one quote and a higher 5-ton alternative in another), a quote from Otis (or Otis Brown) near $23,250 and a Middles quote around $33,000.
Council members flagged the inconsistent specifications across bids — some bidders provided 3-ton units while others proposed 5-ton units — and noted that one bidder submitted multiple quotes with different configurations and prices. A council member described the situation as an "apples-to-oranges" comparison and asked staff and legal counsel to request written statements from each bidder explaining the differences and why two quotes were submitted. The council then moved to table awarding the motor-control-room contract until staff returns with clarified, comparable quotes.
The council emphasized the need for a clear, consistent written request for proposals or request for quotes in future procurements to avoid confusion and to ensure bids are comparable.
