By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Officials believe that the recent extension of the city’s concrete replacement contract is a good enough deal to waive the multiple bidding process.
City Council members recently voted to extend the city’s agreement with G. V. Cement Contracting Co. of Brownstown Township for concrete replacement and repair. Company President Vincent Vitale offered to extend the contract at the previous seven years’ prices for the 2010 calendar year.
In order to single-source the contract, the council first had to agree to waive the competitive bid process for the item at issue. Councilwoman Stacy Striz cast the dissenting vote on both motions.
Director of Public Works Eric Witte said the prices were fair, and that there have been no issues with workmanship or timeliness. In a memo to the council, he noted that the prices offered were, in his estimation, very fair for the multiple locations involved for the type of work.
Witte also said that while lower prices could be offered during the rebidding process, they might be rendered by a less-qualified contractor. Keeping G. V. also would expedite concrete replacement in locations that have been awaiting repairs for the past year.
“We’ve used him for the last seven years and have been very satisfied with his responsiveness, his pricing and his workmanship,” Witte said. “And it would be my recommendation to extend his contract for another year at the original unit prices that were originally quoted in 2003.”
He noted that cement, fuel and insurance, the contractor’s major costs, all have increased “dramatically” in price since 2003.