Eastham committee hears bidding schedule, meets new wastewater RPR

The Eastham Capital Projects Committee on Aug. 11 received a detailed update on bids and schedule for the town's wastewater project and formally met Ernie, who will serve as the resident project representative for the treatment plant. Committee members heard timeline targets for multiple contract openings and discussed aligning an award meeting with the Select Board.

Staff said four contracts are currently out to bid: two collection-system piping packages (contracts 2 and 4 covering Route 6 north and south), a contract for four pump stations (contract 5), and a salt-shed/general-contractor package. Key openings include a filed-submittal for the salt shed at 11 a.m. the coming Friday, contract 4 the same day at 1 p.m., contract 2 on Monday the 17th at 11 a.m., contract 5 on Wednesday the 19th at 10 a.m., and the GC salt-shed bid opening on Thursday the 20th at 11 a.m.

Introducing himself, Ernie said he had visited the site and met DPW staff and that his current water-plant work should wrap in the next few weeks. "Yeah. Um so, we're not sure. I think the contract owns a trailer," Ernie said when asked about on-site accommodations for staff and subs. Committee members discussed how a contractor-provided trailer might need to move if it interferes with utility piping or staging.

Committee members debated whether to schedule the contract-award meeting Thursday or move it to Friday so Apex can tabulate bids and present a consolidated recommendation; staff recommended coordinating the award action with the Select Board to streamline decision-making. Staff also noted that for the contracts already bid the contingency percentages will adjust post-bid in accordance with SRF rules. The committee set a target to run a pre-construction conference after Labor Day, when contractors are expected to present detailed mobilization schedules.