Pasquotank is holding a fourth round of bidding to find a contractor to oversee construction of phase one of the county’s $2 million new park in Newland.
County commissioners agreed last week to seek another round of bids after both bids submitted in the third round were higher than the county’s estimated cost of the project. Following Pasquotank Manager Sparty Hammett’s recommendation, commissioners agreed unanimously to hold a fourth bid opening at 2 p.m. on June 11.
Hammett told commissioners his staff will be speaking to contractors ahead of June 11.
“One thing we’re going to do is follow up with some contractors to try to determine why they’re not bidding on the project,” Hammett said. “We heard from one contractor that felt like the timeframe for completion was too tight. We’re trying to get this job done by December 31; we may look at pushing that back three months or so.”
Whatever feedback contractors provide will be factored into the scope of the project, Hammett said.
The county’s estimated cost of phase one of the project is $1.95 million, but the start of the project has been hindered by delays in the bidding. The original bid letting date was March 28 when the county did not receive any bids. On April 11, the county received two bids, of which one fell below the county’s estimate project cost.
However, the lowest bidder did not meet a requirement that “single prime general contractors submitting bids must have (an) unlimited unclassified general contractor’s license.” The other bid that was submitted April 12 exceeded the county’s project budget.
The county agreed to strike the unclassified general contractor’s license requirement from the bidding qualifications and set a third opening date for May 2.
On May 2, the county received bids from two contractors: one from Barnhill Contracting Company for $2.69 million and the other from Whitehurst Sand Company for $2.45 million.
Commissioner Sam Davis asked Hammett if the county had any other options, to which Hammett replied: “The only other option available would be to negotiate with the low bidder (from May 2). I would not recommend that.”
The county has purchased a 51-acre site off U.S. Highway 158 in the former location of Morgan’s Corner Pulling Park to build a community park for residents. The $614,000 the county paid for the land is not included in the cost to complete the project’s first phase, which involves site clearing, grading, erosion control and storm drainage, sewer and septic services and other requirements.
Three acres at the site have been reserved for a future public safety substation for emergency medical services and the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office.
Hammett said he understands commissioners are eager to complete the Newland park project but not so hastily that it puts the county at risk of spending more than is necessary.
“Personally, I want to get this park done as quickly as we can. I think the entire board does,” he said. “But not at the cost of paying a lot more for the project. If we find out that that’s an issue then we would push that timeline back.”
Last October, the county agreed to spend $400,000 to buy three prefabricated buildings that will be part of the planned park. The buildings will include restroom facilities and two shelters. Other aspects of phase one of the project include construction of a playground, activities lawn, walking paths and a basketball court.
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