By Jim Bloch
Usually, municipalities are compelled by their charters to accept the lowest bid for city projects. If there is something wrong with the lowest bid, they might take the second lowest bidder.
In the case of its catch basin repair program, the city of St. Clair recently approved a contract with the third lowest bidder, Great Lakes Contracting Services, of Waterford. The city council approved the contract by a vote of 7-0 at its regular meeting Dec. 1.
“This project consists of the catch basin repairs or replacements at various locations along Jay Street and Adams Street proposed for asphalt resurfacing in 2026, along with storm sewer pipe replacement connected to the catch basins, and subsequent pavement replacement,” said Joseph Lech, project manager, and Ryan Kern, senior project manager with the engineering firm AEW, in a letter to City Superintendent Steve Duchane. AEW designed the project and evaluated the bids.
“We opened bids for catch basin repairs as needed and we are recommending the third lowest bidder Great Lakes Contracting Solutions at $106,769 be awarded the contract,” said Duchane, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube.
Seven companies submitted bids for the work.
Prime Construction & Excavation Company tendered the lowest bid at $51,787; Thumb Coast Concrete submitted the second lowest bid at $88,684; Great Lakes Contracting Solutions was third at $106,769, followed by Raymond Excavating at $115,152, Murray Underground at $115,245, and Teltow Contracting at $163,195. DP Schweihofer Excavating came in high at $225,470.
AEW found problems with the bids of Prime Construction and Thumb Coast Concrete.
“Prime Construction and Excavation Company has not performed work in the city of St. Clair, and our office is not familiar with their work,” the AEW engineers said. “In checking the references provided in the bid submittal, work that they have completed involved concrete pads for buildings, sidewalk installations and small concrete removal and replacement projects. There were no references to any catch basin repair projects of similar scope.”
It turned out that the company had estimated the cost of the material needed for the job and the owner told AEW that the firm could not complete the job at their bid price.
Thumb Coast, the second lowest bidder, had bonding problems.
“It should be noted that Thumb Coast Concrete did not include a five percent bid bond with their bid submittal, as required in the specifications for this project,” said AEW. “The absence of the bid bond raises concern regarding their ability to provide the standard contract bonds required by the city and our office, including the maintenance and guarantee bond, performance bond, and payment bond.”
AEW recommended awarding the contract to Great Lakes Contracting Solutions.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
