The resolution authorized the city manager to execute an $856,747 construction services agreement with Jonestar Construction for the expansion and remodel of the fire station, according to agenda documents.
Two-minute impact
Construction will begin following the execution of the agreement, and the project is expected to take around five months complete, according to the documents.
The project includes adding another apparatus bay, expanding the fitness area, replacing existing interior lights with LED lights, updating the HVAC system and refurbishing all interior finishes.
What you need to know
The city solicited bids on October 25, said Caleb Stockton, senior project manager in the engineering department. It received five proposals and evaluated them with the competitive sealed proposal method.
The CSP method involves comparing the proposed cost and timeline of the project, in addition to the experience of the company making the proposal.
Jonestar Construction offered the fastest timeline and the lowest price, but they had the least experience, according to the documents.
What they’re saying
Council Member Bobbi Hutchinson said she was concerned that the company had less experience than the other options considered.
Stockton explained that because the five bidders were being compared to each other, one of them had to be the one with the least experience, even though they could still be a competent bidder.
He said city staff had taken a serious look at Jonestar's qualifications and had deemed the company able to do the needed work.
“We looked at not just the company itself, but we looked at the personnel,” Stockton said. “The superintendent had substantial experience in projects like this, and that was something that certainly gave us a great deal of confidence.”
