Fillmore chooses low bidder for drainage project

Saturday, July 13, 2013

FILLMORE -- The project to install a storm sewer and repave Main Street in Fillmore is a step closer to commencing.

Having reviewed the four bids submitted bids for the project late last month, Lori Young of Curry & Associates engineers recommended the council accept the low bid submitted by Eagle Valley, Inc.

The Indianapolis-based company submitted a bid of $548,633 for the project, coming in more than $40,000 below the amount the town has for the construction phase of the project.

Funding for the project comes from a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in the amount of $724,353.

After engineering and other initial costs of the project, $590,450 remains for construction, leaving the town $41,817 in contingency funds -- equal to 7.6 percent of the contract amount.

"I recommend this as a reasonable amount of contingency in this project," Young wrote in her letter to Town Council president Alan Jones.

Young also recommended Eagle Valley based on prior experiences with the contractor.

"Our experience with Eagle Valley's work has been excellent," Young wrote. "They also have a very good reputation with the City of Indianapolis and Citizens Energy Group for storm and sanitary sewer construction.

"I recommend Eagle Valley, Inc. as a very well qualified and professional organization with all the skills and equipment necessary to complete this important project for the town of Fillmore."

Trusting in Young's expertise and prior experience, the board voted 2-0 to accept the bid, with councilor Tami Van Rensselaer making the motion and Jones making it unanimous.

Councilman Curt Leonard was out of state during Wednesday's special meeting.

Eagle Valley's total bid amount came from a base bid of $468,686 and an alternate bid of $79,947 for the $548,633 total.

It was the only bid within the town's remaining budget for construction, comparing favorably to the other three submitted bids:

* Rieth Riley: $569,877 base, $57,712.40 alternate: $627,589.40 total.

* Steve Cooper Excavating: $628,792 base, $150,659.90 alternate: $779,451.90 total.

* Hunt Paving: $698,578.09 base, $102,693.42 alternate: $801,271.51 total.

The project will install storm sewers along Main Street from Cemetery Road on the north to just south of the school. The street will be repaved over the same area.

The sewer project constitutes the base bid, with repaving making up the alternate portion.

At a pre-construction meeting on Friday, Eagle Valley representatives met with town officials, Young and Kristy Jerrell of West Central Economic Development, who is overseeing the grant work for the town.

No construction date was discussed at the meeting, but Jerrell spoke with Eagle Valley officials about paperwork still needed for OCRA. She indicated that once the papers were filed, the state would likely release the money to the town within a week or two.

On this timetable, officials remain optimistic construction can begin before the end of July.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: