The bid award for a multi-million dollar project expanding Sampson County’s water production capabilities while building up what local officials believe to be a valuable interchange for future development will have to wait a little longer.
No action was taken during a special meeting of the Sampson County Board of Commissioners this week as just one bid was received for the Sampson County I-40/N.C. 403 Well Head Completion and Manganese Treatment project.
The lone bid surpassed the project budget by a significant margin. This is the second time just one bid has been received.
The matter will be on the Sampson Board of Commissioners agenda in February following discussion with the only bidder to see if the price can be reduced, county officials said. Matthew B. West, vice president of Dewberry Engineers Inc., said his firm will negotiate with Herring-Rivenbark Inc., which submitted the bid.
That bid was received last week following the second bid advertisement.
Three bids are required for construction or repair contracts subject to the formal bidding procedures. If three bids are not received after the first advertisement, the project must be re-advertised for at least the minimum time under the formal bidding statue.
The project was originally advertised for bid on Nov. 26, 2019. One bid was received after the first bid advertisement at the first bid opening, held on Dec. 19, 2019. Since a minimum of three bids were not received, the bid was returned to bidder unopened. The project was re-advertised on Dec. 21, 2019, for bids to be received last week.
Just one bid was received and publicly opened and read aloud, per state law. No bidders were present for the bid opening.
That bid was submitted by Herring-Rivenbark Inc. out of Kinston.
“Dewberry Engineers Inc. has reviewed the bid received for this project and it is our opinion that Herring-Rivenbark Inc. has submitted responsive, responsible bids,” West told county commissioners this week.
The total base bid totals close to $3.9 million.
The project is being funded by the Golden Leaf Foundation, the Economic Development Administration and the North Carolina Department of Water Infrastructure. The total funding available for the entire project is just over $3.05 million.
Approximately $2.5 million of that amount is available for the portion of the project encompassing the well head completion and manganese treatment — meaning the sole bid is roughly $1.4 million over that base amount.
“Herring-Rivenbark Inc is willing to negotiate the contract price with Sampson County based on agreed upon modifications to the project and value engineering,” West stated in a memo to county officials.
West said a meeting would take place next week “to review the bid prices and determine opportunities to reduce costs.”
“We recommend completing this negotiation process before making a formal recommendation on the award of this contract,” West stated.
An update is anticipated to be provided by Dewberry, and further discussion held by county commissioners, at the board’s Feb. 3 regular monthly meeting.
Last year, Sampson was awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants from the State Water Infrastructure Authority, with funds coming from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Three projects were submitted by Sampson County Public Works for funding, all of which were funded in a 50-50 grant-loan split.
The grant awards included $441,500 for iron and manganese treatment at the Faison Highway (N.C. 403) Treatment Plant to improve drinking water and $909,160 for a third water production well in the county as part of I-40/N.C. 403 Production Well Phase II.
Sampson’s water system has two wells in operation already, with the under-construction N.C. 403/I-40 well being the third. It is set to be completed this year.
Public Works director Lin Reynolds said the iron and manganese treatment will go a long way to improve the look of potable water in Sampson.
“It’s all over the county at various places,” Reynolds said then of the dirty water, noting the prevalence of the issue in northern Sampson County in recent years because of its distance from the heart of the county water network.
Purchases from the City of Dunn curbed that somewhat, as the water did not have to travel as far, he said.
“This should resolve it,” Reynolds remarked.
The dirty water is being caused by oxidized iron and manganese and Sampson officials moved forward four years ago with a preliminary engineering report.
Despite its color, West said then the water was safe as iron and manganese levels tested at just one-20th of the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement limit, which is 1 milligram of iron and manganese per liter.
“Sampson is at .05, one-2oth of the enforceable limit. It’s that low,” West attested then.
In many counties, water is produced from wells and consumed within a few days, avoiding any cloudy water. In Sampson, there is more retention, local officials said.
“We’re still getting dirty water in the summertime,” said Reynolds.
He said that has a lot to do with school being out during the summer months, as those facilities use a great deal of water and help move it through the system. When school is out, the water retention issues often bring about more instances of cloudy water.
