By Juan Montoya
With the City of Brownsville Commission slated to vote today on rescinding the award of a $2.8 million road construction project to a Mission contractor over Brownsville-based G&T Paving, they will have a choice they have to make.
The meeting will be held by teleconference and the public can only comment by a limited number of telephone lines listed on the city's website.
The meeting will be held by teleconference and the public can only comment by a limited number of telephone lines listed on the city's website.
Will the city commissioners award the comprehensive paving, drainage and sidewalk road construction project to the lowest bidder, or can they consider more factors than just price and award it to the second-lowest bidder if he's from Brownsville?
The project is in District 3 and encompasses Anacua Street that turns into Naranjo Road on the city's north side from the 77-83 expressway and east toward the Cameron County Rucker-Carrizales Detention Center off Old Alice Road. It includes paving, sidewalks, driveways and drainage improvements.
At the April 21 meeting, both the Finance and Engineering departments recommended that the lowest bidder, Total Commitment Construction Co., of Mission, be awarded the contract in the amount of $2,810,332.75.
But then, under questioning from commission members on whether they could award the contract to local bidder G&T Paving under the "local preference" option, staff said they could. The vote was 6-1 to award the Brownsville bidder the contract. Under the "local preference " option, if the second-lowest bidder is from the city, commissioners are allowed to award it the contract if it's within 5 percent of the lowest bid.
G&T's bid was $2,894,709.60, $84,377 higher than Total Commitment Construction's low bid of $2,810,332.75. However, the commission was told by the Engineering and Finance reps at the meeting that the amount was well within the 5 percent allowed under the local preference or best value, which was $140,516.
Only commissioner Jessica Tereau voted against the award saying even if the extra $84,377 above the lowest bidder stayed in Brownsville, to her it was still too much.
After the award, questions arose on whether the local preference option was really available as city staff had concurred. Further research indicated that the "local preference" option was not available since it is limited to bids under $100,000, the purchasing department clarified later.
Others called for the city to award the bid to G&T under the "best value" consideration could allow them to award the contract to the local contractor (G&T Paving, of Brownsville).
Under Chapter 2269, the competitive bidding method is a procurement method by which the city contracts with a contractor for the construction, alteration, rehabilitation, or repair of a facility by awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The city may consider more factors than just price in awarding a contract based on competitive bids that the city would by using competitive bidding under Section 252.043 of the Local Government Code.
The project is in District 3 and encompasses Anacua Street that turns into Naranjo Road on the city's north side from the 77-83 expressway and east toward the Cameron County Rucker-Carrizales Detention Center off Old Alice Road. It includes paving, sidewalks, driveways and drainage improvements.
At the April 21 meeting, both the Finance and Engineering departments recommended that the lowest bidder, Total Commitment Construction Co., of Mission, be awarded the contract in the amount of $2,810,332.75.
But then, under questioning from commission members on whether they could award the contract to local bidder G&T Paving under the "local preference" option, staff said they could. The vote was 6-1 to award the Brownsville bidder the contract. Under the "local preference " option, if the second-lowest bidder is from the city, commissioners are allowed to award it the contract if it's within 5 percent of the lowest bid.
G&T's bid was $2,894,709.60, $84,377 higher than Total Commitment Construction's low bid of $2,810,332.75. However, the commission was told by the Engineering and Finance reps at the meeting that the amount was well within the 5 percent allowed under the local preference or best value, which was $140,516.
Only commissioner Jessica Tereau voted against the award saying even if the extra $84,377 above the lowest bidder stayed in Brownsville, to her it was still too much.
After the award, questions arose on whether the local preference option was really available as city staff had concurred. Further research indicated that the "local preference" option was not available since it is limited to bids under $100,000, the purchasing department clarified later.
Others called for the city to award the bid to G&T under the "best value" consideration could allow them to award the contract to the local contractor (G&T Paving, of Brownsville).
Under Chapter 2269, the competitive bidding method is a procurement method by which the city contracts with a contractor for the construction, alteration, rehabilitation, or repair of a facility by awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The city may consider more factors than just price in awarding a contract based on competitive bids that the city would by using competitive bidding under Section 252.043 of the Local Government Code.
The criteria that the city may consider are: 1. the price; 2. the offeror’s experience and reputation;
3. the quality of the offeror’s goods or services; 4. the impact on the ability of the city to comply with rules relating to historically underutilized businesses; 5. the offeror’s safety record; 6. the offeror’s proposed personnel; 7. whether the offeror’s financial capability is appropriate to the size and scope of the project; and 8. any other relevant factor specifically listed in the request for bids, proposals, or qualification.
Even that, according to city staff, cannot be used by the city commission to justify awarding it to the local bidder.
"We also reviewed Texas Local Government Code Section 252 (Best Value) which provides the ability to award contracts to a non-lowest bidder. Section 252 is not allowable for street construction projects."
"The Finance Department recommends rescinding the award from G&T Paving and awarding the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible vendor, Total Commitment Construction, in the amount of $2,810,332.75. The City Commission maintains the option to reject all bids and rebid this project," the back up to Tuesday's agenda states.
Still, some commenters to this blog argued that it would arguably be the "best value" for the city to keep the money here, to hire local employees to the benefit of local business.
"Mr. G is a local contractor who hires local employees and pays his taxes here," said one. "Why should our money go to Mission or Hidalgo County. Do you think that they would look out for or interest there if it was the other way around?"
Even that, according to city staff, cannot be used by the city commission to justify awarding it to the local bidder.
"We also reviewed Texas Local Government Code Section 252 (Best Value) which provides the ability to award contracts to a non-lowest bidder. Section 252 is not allowable for street construction projects."
"The Finance Department recommends rescinding the award from G&T Paving and awarding the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible vendor, Total Commitment Construction, in the amount of $2,810,332.75. The City Commission maintains the option to reject all bids and rebid this project," the back up to Tuesday's agenda states.
Still, some commenters to this blog argued that it would arguably be the "best value" for the city to keep the money here, to hire local employees to the benefit of local business.
"Mr. G is a local contractor who hires local employees and pays his taxes here," said one. "Why should our money go to Mission or Hidalgo County. Do you think that they would look out for or interest there if it was the other way around?"
6 comments:
Troubling rumor that the government is delaying those $1,200 stimulus checks to Hispanics because Trump thinks they all vote Democrat. Look into it, Juanito.
Juan The bid price difference is $84,000.00 plus G & T is a local company, pays local city county taxes, has local folks working for him so in my opinion i say award the bid to him, as said "other factors".
Juan why so much pedo on this bid, just a week or two ago Mr. PUB Bruciak spent $2.6 million on a $1.3 million dollar project? pos que onda
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Here comes the change orders make the company stand by their price!!don't be stupid they made their bid on a finish project if they didn't do their homework thats on them.
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