Item 6B. Rejection of Bids and Authorization to Re-bid: Rush Creek Regional Trail Underpass at Mississippi Gateway
Superintendent's Recommendation:
MOTION TO REJECT ALL BIDS FOR THE RUSH CREEK REGIONAL TRAIL UNDERPASS AT MISSISSIPPI GATEWAY; AND TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO RE-BID THE PROJECT AT A LATER DATE.
Prepared By: Matt Swenson, Project Manager
Background:
Having secured the necessary funding, the Consultants finalized plans for the Rush Creek Regional Trail pedestrian underpass located at Mississippi Gateway. This underpass will not only serve as a safe, separated crossing of West River Rd for the regional trail, but will also serve as a safe pedestrian link between the newly developed East and West Units of the regional park (see attached map).
Bid Results:
Advertisement for bids for this project was placed in Finance and Commerce and QuestCDN. Construction documents were issued on March 14, 2024. Bids for this work were received on April 9, 2024. There were fourteen (14) contractor plan holders of which six (6) submitted bids (see attached Bid Tab).
The low bidder is New Look Contracting, Inc., from Rogers, MN with a total base bid amount of $2,984,938.50.
The Engineer’s estimate of probable construction cost is $2,334,711.
Staff Recommendation:
All bids were significantly higher than the engineer’s estimate. The increased base bid amount is the result of higher costs for larger concrete culverts due to fewer manufacturers, as well as complex construction techniques incorporated in the plans that were challenging to estimate.
Staff recommends the bids be rejected and that the Board authorizes the Superintendent to re-bid the project in 2024 for construction later this year or spring 2025. The project team has already identified more traditional methods for constructing this project that can be incorporated and reduce costs substantially; but it requires removal and replacement of some additional trees and open excavation through the new park entrance that was just completed in 2019, which is what the original design aimed to avoid.
Relationship to the System Plan:
The Request for Action supports the following goal(s) of the System Plan:
Goal 1: You Belong Here
Goal 2: Parks Matter
Goal 3: Lead by Example
Attachments:
