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PUB accepts bid $450K under estimate

Photo by Evan Bevins Craig Richards, project engineer with Burgess & Niple, speaks about a bid during Tuesday’s Parkersburg Utility Board meeting.

PARKERSBURG — At a time when prices are usually rising, the Parkersburg Utility Board on Tuesday accepted a bid for a project that came in nearly $450,000 below the engineer’s estimate.

The board voted 5-0 to award the contract to extend water and sewer service up Fort Boreman Hill to Dunlap Contracting LLC of Waverly after first asking owner Bernie Dunlap a few questions about his bid.

The estimate for the work from engineering company Burgess & Niple was $1,322,000. Dunlap’s bid was $874,065, with four other bids ranging from $1,217,376 to $1,971,279. Craig Richards, project engineer with Burgess & Niple, said a sixth bid was not opened due to being improperly completed.

Board member Mike Evans asked if some materials were of the same quality as those in other bids, despite being offered at a lower price.

“I don’t want you losing your shirt either,” he said.

“I’m comfortable with everything that I’ve bid,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap explained some of the differences in his bid, noting he anticipates using the dirt he digs up as backfill rather than hauling it away and bringing in new fill material.

Nichols said Dunlap submitted a bid about 35% to 40% lower than other companies last fall for a smaller contract for the Mineral Wells Public Service District.

It was one of the first projects on which the company bid.

Bernie Dunlap said he started the business with his son after spending 25 years with Stonegate Construction. They’ve completed the project for Mineral Wells and one in West Milford and have won a bid for a project in Elizabeth.

“You think you can get enough people to operate both projects at the same time?” board member Paul Hoblitzell asked.

“There’s no doubt in my mind,” Dunlap said, adding he already had enough but it’s unlikely the work would be done simultaneously.

Employees of Dunlap are already working on a PUB project, assisting with the large-diameter water main replacement being handled by Tribute Contracting & Consultants.

The Fort Boreman project was requested by the PM Company to facilitate development of the 180 acres it owns atop Fort Boreman Hill. The company has pledged to donate 49 acres to the city and county for a potential youth sports complex.

The work is to be funded by a $1.5 million grant from the state, plus contributions of $200,000 each from the City of Parkersburg and Wood County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds. Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce, the chairman of the Utility Board, said it was not immediately clear how the lower bid would affect the amounts of money committed by public entities.

Due to supply chain issues and inflation, bids have tended to come in higher than expected on recent projects. The PUB budgeted $1.52 million for a wastewater treatment plant enhancement project that received a single bid of $3.3 million. A state grant funded by ARPA money made up the difference.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

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