Lander County awards $18.4 million fire station/EMS contract to United Construction

The Lander County Board of Commissioners voted to award the contract for the new county fire station and EMS facility (PWP LA 2025-298) to United Construction.

Engineering consultant Aaron Martinez of AM Engineering explained the bidding process and noted the project used lump-sum bids with an itemized schedule of values. "So on this project and most vertical type projects, it's a lump sum type bid and those bid schedules are not, necessarily conducive with that type of bidding environment," Martinez said, adding the schedule of values was provided as an addendum to clarify individual bid components. The board read three bids on the record: Michael Clay Corporation (base bid not to exceed $18,700,000), MGM Construction (base bid not to exceed $21,494,000) and United Construction (base bid not to exceed $18,000,000; total $18,417,150). The recommendation was to award to United Construction.

Martinez described two bid alternates the board had separated for clarity: "Bid alternate 1 is the emergency generator...so that building will always be a safe haven" and alternate 2 is a pergola amenity on the back of the building. The award includes alternates as presented. During the vote Commissioner Alicia disclosed a potential vendor relationship and abstained; the motion to award the contract otherwise carried by voice vote. The chair confirmed the award is inclusive of the alternates and the contract includes a $750,000 force-account allowance that is payable only for preapproved additional services.

The board authorized the chair to sign the award documents and directed staff to proceed with contract finalization and scheduling for site work. The county project will proceed under the construction sequence Martinez described, with site concrete, landscaping and a later paving operation tied to a separate widening project.