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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-17, Page 5County may tinker with tender process Cheryl Heath sun media Huron County's public -works de- partment is taking a look at a differ- ent way of doing things. As unveiled at Huron County Council's June 10 committee -of - the -whole session, the department will be conducting a pilot project to ascertain the best way to administer the tender -evaluation process. Dave Laurie, director of public works, reports the original project was set to be department -wide but the senior management team opted to take a different tack. "We want to see if it works before we. throw it at -every- body," he says, noting the ulti- mate goal is to gauge the best way in which to evaluate con- tractors. "We want to get away from the lowest price wins," he says, noting instead the process will involve an evaluation of weighted criteria that includes 50 per cent on the cost, 10 per cent on the contractor's experi- will soon have a new stop sing fac- ing westbound traffic at the intersec- tion of Saltford Road, Londesboro Road, CP Line, and MTO Road. The change means the village will no longer be home to the county's only three-legged stop on a four - legged intersection. NEW GROUP A county committee will soon be eyeballing troublesome intersections in Huron County. Thanks to a motion endorsed by the committee of the whole, a work- ing group of administrators and councillors will be investigating input because, "We know you guys have your finger on the pulse of the community a lot more than we do." "Some of the speed limits may go up, some may go down," he adds. HITTING THE ROOF A request to repair the land regis- try building's roof raised one of its own. Sandy McLean, facilities manager for the county, came betore the com- mittee of the whole to request per- mission to acceptthe one tender re- ceived for partial mot' repairs to the tune of $39,250. In addressing the committee, McLean noted that the ten- der spelled out some speci- "We want to get away from the lowest price wins ... We have realized the low- . est bidder may not always represent the best value for the county. We feel there is value to an evaluation process that is clear, well defined and fair" ence with the county or a local municipality, 10 per cent on references, 10 per cent on the con- tractor's team and staff' abilities, 15 per cent on the contractor's experi- ence, and five per cent on the com- pletion of the evaluation section. The rationale behind the change was further spelled out by Laurie in a report to council: "With the econom- ic slowdown we are experiencing a change in the type of bidders we are seeing as well as an unfamiliar list of contractor names .... What they may lack is the experience and the techni- cal understanding we require for our rehab and construction projects. We have realized the lowest bidder may not always. represent the best value for the county. We feel there is value to an evaluation process that is clear, well defined and fair." While Coun. Dave Johnston (Bluewater) expressed concern the new practice would require all ten- ders to be fully investigated since the process could be seen as discre- tionary, Laurie notes the goal is give county council the flexibility to be able to choose the best possible con- tractor. Meanwhile, Coun. Bill Siemon (Huron East) wondered whether the new procedure could negatively im- pact the county's ability to get good prices on projects, but Laurie reports the idea for the new process was in- spired from talk.; with a number of contractors. A report on the new protocol will come back before council in 2010. NEW SIGN The community of Londesboro will soon be welcoming its newest resident, a stop sign. Thanks to an' endorsement (4 a roads department's recommenda- tion, the community of Londesboro — David Laurie director of public works ways to address spots where speed- ers have a tendency to tread. The committee will include county councillors Dave Johnston (Bluewater) and George Robertson (South Huron), both of whom are former police officers, and Bill Sie- mon (Huron East), a self-confessed "former" speeder. Warden Ken Oke is also on the committee. Mike Alcock, the county's civil engineering technologist, says ad- ministrators are seeking councillors' fications, including that the work be done after hours so that the building's tenants are not disturbed as per re- quirements in the county's leasing agreement. Coun. Dave Johnston (Bluewater), however, questioned the validity of accepting the one tender when it also spells out that the work must be done by mid-June, which would be impossible at this point. Further, notes Johnston, the tender would require county council's en- dorsement, which Chief Administra- tive Officer Larry Adams then noted could be accommodated at county council's special June 16 session. The committee ultimately passed the resolution, which still requires council's endorsement, after McLean noted time is of the essence .given most roofing contractors are fully booked come July. 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