Thought you would be interested in seeing once again how the City of Fruitland is WASTING its constituents money through its legal department. Fruitland has retained AWB Engineers to handle the design and bidding process for its new Police Department. There was a mandatory pre-bid meeting, three bid addendums issued and one faxed memo sent out during the bid process. The bids were publicly opened and read aloud. Fruitland has now been bullied by one of the contractors over an issue that the project was bid without sales tax and that it should have been included and they have protested the bid and threatened legal action if the project is not rebid. Of course they have bent to this pressure and are now redoing the whole process again, all the while paying out more money to the Engineering firm to oversee this process. The big problem is that ALL bidders were aware that the project was to exclude sales tax (see attached). Fruitland knows it got a competitive bid from the lowest firm since there was a very small percentage separating them. They are now allowing that public bid opening information to be used in another competitive (not so much now) bid opening. If the GC protesting should of had any issue, it should have been done prior to the bid opening to protect all those who had submitted them so all the competition would not know the numbers.
More back-door politics, More money thrown out the door, More of the same. And just to be clear, our company was listed with the apparent low bidder as one of its prime subcontractors.
FAX NUMBER
Harkins Contracting, Inc Don Smith, Mark Figgs (410) 749-2150
JOB Construction Steve Edmundson (302) 337-3890
Nason Construction Fred Doster, Mike Dashiell (410) 749-4433
Evans Builders Inc. Dan Baker (410) 749-1703
Gillis Gilkerson Incorporated Dwight Miller, Tyler Barnes (410) 749-7934
Whiting Turner Andrew Bratten (410) 901-8335
Willow Construction Calley Dawkins (410) 820-7392
Mervin L. Blades & Son, Inc. Matt Esham (410) 957-2648
Sens Mechanical, Inc. Steve Pope (410) 629-0778
Bennett Construction Bruce Giordano (410) 749-3411
Cain Masonry, Inc. Mike Townsend (410) 749-0092
Advantech, Inc. Steve Allis (302) 674-3698
DiCarlo Precision Instrument Inc Christina Baker (410) 749-9323
FROM: Amy Bechard
DATE: October 25, 2010
SUBJECT: Fruitland Police Dept
Clarification:
Since this is a municipal project for The City of Fruitland, the project is tax-exempt.Memo
TO: All Bidders
COMPANY ATTENTION
21 comments:
The police dept is the biggest money making business Fruitland owns. Ride around and write tickets now the have a camera car set up so the can just mail you tickets and you send your money in or else! It's no longer about public safety but a shake down of the public.
1051,
You're an idiot! The money from traffic tickets goes to the State of MD, every penny. NOTHING goes back to Fruitland. The speed cameras are a different story.
1051 First off think before you speak. The fines from speeding tickets in MD go to the the state not the city. Oh and as for the camera car from what I read its used to catch speeders in school zones. I for one have no problem with keeping kids safe so much for your Sake Down idea .. try going the speed limit.
10:51,
Here's and idea, don't speed!
I'd like to know who the company is that is raising these issues. If its who I think it is, it's not the first time they've pulled this crap.
Here we go again fools every last one of you who support this big brother farce..School zones only BS. I see it all arond town on rt 13, the roundabout. It was in front of the elematry school for a while but guess in city limits you cant escape a school zone anyway..what a bunch of malarky, but I guess your kind have no problem with big brother tactics..keep giving them an inch and as we see more and more of and they take a mile..as for the topic of the blog here..what is the name of the company who made the dispute so we can boycott it.
How is it that 5 out 6 of the previous comments cannot focus on the issue at hand?
This isn't about speeding, Fruitland is violating very simple ethical standards in contract and fair trade laws.
1:25 true, it isnt only by the school, its everywhere......
by the way anyone hear where they wanna put the new station????
Seems to me that the decision to re-bid is in the best interests of the taxpayers of Fruitland, just not in the best interests of the low bidder. It prevents them from writing a blank check to the contractor for whatever they may determine as sales tax, and keeps them from the cost of potential litigation. From my understanding, Fruitland has a right to reject any and all bids. Considering there was a discrepency in regards to tax exempt status, and the potential for an additional $50-$100k in cost, a re-bid is in order. Seems to me that this letter is obviously written by the low bidder, who is understandably dissapointed, but a re-bid is the only fair way, AND in the best interests of the TAXPAYERS of Fruitland. (and that is what it is all about)
I think this whole thing should be put on hold at this point-- that would help resolve the heartburn-- put it back out for bids sometime later, but for right now stop the project.
3:53, Why would the low bidder want to write a letter asking for do- overs? He's the winning bid! DUH.
Secondly, all bidders were aware of the tax exempt status as shown in the memo, as well as anyone who has ever considered bidding a job for a municipality in the last 100 years!
To NOT see the memo would at least prompt the prospective bidders to ask the question, "Is this the first bid in 100 years that a municipality has to pay sales tax?"
I'm sure it's Mr. Second Lowest Bidder or the next two up throwing stuff in the fan to get some work that he fairly lost.
I understand the city has purchased the lot 208 S. Division St. next to the Parker Block company.
http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/rp_rewrite/details.aspx?AccountNumber=16 017760 &County=23&SearchType=STREET
4:24, perhaps you didn't understand. This letter to Joe is obviously written by the low bidder or sub who is upset that there is a re-do. No where did I state that the low bidder requested a re-bid. (duh)
Secondly, AWB was under the impression that the project was tax exempt. All gov't agencies are allowed to purchase materials under tax exempt status. When it comes to builiding of facilities for government, that is a different story. Maryland is one of the few states that does not allow contractors for facilities for government to utilize the tax exempt certificate. AWB made an error plain and simple. Unfortunately this error will require a short time frame re-bid to be fair.
How do you reccomend that this be corrected? Ask Mr. Contractor how much they would like the check written for? Yeah right.
I think the major point here is that there is NO actual need for a police department! None, nada, nil, zip, zilch.
If you look at this for a minute, it almost looks like the City pulled a fast one here. It wouldn't be so bad if they hadn't opened all the bids. Now it's public knowledge what all the individual bidder's numbers were. Now the City gets to gain by having everyone rebid it and knowing the original lowest number. I know for a fact that I refuse to lower my number one dollar. I hope they choke on all the problems they get from getting socked with Change Orders from the lowest bidder that comes along next. It will be the only way the Contractor will be able to turn a profit given how close the bids were to begin with. Enjoy it Fruitland, I hope it all goes South in a handbasket for you.
The fact that all the bids were opened is what makes if fair for a re-bid. If only a couple were opened, it wouldn't be fair. I certainly hope that you don't end up being the lowest bidder since you evidentally do not have Fruitlands best interests at heart and have expressed you interest in hoping all goes south. One thing that I find ironic is that some or one of the contractors commenting here and bashing Fruitland is tentatively still in the running. Do you realize how awkward it may make it if you happen to win the bid? Quit crying and just re-bid. There was an error, deal with it, or don't re-bid. Of the 10 bidders, there are 9 that aren't complaining. How about signing your name?
6:05, Yes, they did. I think it was a good idea that if you were going to build a police station, you should have land to put it on. That was over 2 years ago. Whats your point?
8:41, if they didn't re-bid, the first thing that would happen with you would be a chang order. That change order would have been for the sales tax. What would you have charged the residents of Fruitland? 25k? 50k? 250k? Thats right, who knows. That is why a re-bid is in order. Do you understand yet?
Are you kidding me, they don't need a police department. This has been in the works for years. Have you seen their police department, it is a joke and embarrassing. If you do not think so call them and get a tour of the current police department.
10:51...really???...I was merely answering the question posed by 2:10pm.
12:23, my mistake. I didn't put that together, sorry
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