Commission Awards $1.346 Million Contract for Recoat on Corson’s Bridge

CREST HAVEN — The county Bridge Commission awarded a contract Feb. 7 for recoating the steelwork on the Corson’s Inlet Bridge, to Allied Painting, Inc. of Franklinville, Pa.
The bid came in at $1.346 million. The bid was one of six, ranging from Allied’s low of $1.346 million to $3.69 million from a firm out of Buffalo, N.Y.
The commission estimated the project would cost $2.18 million and had bonded for $2.25 million. Commissioners were pleased the bid came in at $800,000 less than anticipated.
“We should accept this as soon as possible,” said Commissioner Bill Henfe.
The bid includes the following components:
• $16,000 performance bond and payment bond;
• $50,000 maintenance and protection of traffic;
• $20,000 clearing site, bridge;
• $4,200 pin and hanger lubrication;
• $200,000 painting bridges-existing steel (71,000 sq. feet); $10,000 hand/power tool cleaning (1,000 sq. feet);
• $800,000 near white blast cleaning (70,000 sq. feet); $20,000 lead, health and safety plan;
• $50,000 containment plan;
• $20,000 waste disposal plan;
• $20,000 anniversary inspection;
• $57,500 design and supply temporary shoring;
• $15,600 install temporary shoring; and $62,400 install temporary shoring (I&W directed).
A defect in the bid was waived — a site inspection affidavit was incorrectly dated — as commissioners deemed it immaterial.
County Engineer Dale Foster told commissioners his office had spoken to Allied representatives and they had signed into a pre-bid meeting on Jan. 25; further, they told him they had performed the site inspection.
Counsel Bob Sandman told commissioners that previous litigation over painting on the Corson’s Inlet bridge about ten years ago was the reason a clause had since been added to bid documents which required bidders to sign an affidavit that they had performed a site inspection. That affidavit was a requirement of the bid being complete; the question for commissioners, Sandman said, was whether the defect was material or not. If it were, it could not be waived.
The test for materiality, Sandman explained, is, “Does it affect contractor’s ability to start the work, finish the work and guarantee the work and does it put that bidder to an advantage in comparison to other bidders on the same contract.”
Commissioners Henfe and Salvatore DeSimon agreed the defect was immaterial and therefore could be waived without harm to the contract or other bidders, with a condition that Allied provide an affidavit to immortalize the fact they had performed the site inspection.
The contract, said Sandman, is a performance contract, which leaves some discretion in the hands of the contractor, helping to reduce the government’s liability in the event something goes wrong.
“If you decide how to do it and what to use and it fails, it’s your problem,” he explained.
Foster said the bridge work would continue through the summer and into the fall. Until June 20, he said, and from mid-September onward, contractors may work on the entire span; after June 20 and through mid-September, they can work on the drawspan northwards.
The engineer’s office will seek approval to close the drawspan from mid-October to mid-November, Foster said, to allow certain work to be done.
There are several steps to the contracted work, Foster said. The job requires complete containment for environmental protection as lead paint exists under the grease. A complete blasting is done to clean the old paint off down to the steel. A water washing is done; the machine room gets a hand tool cleaning. It’s a three coat painting system, he said, starting with a primer, then a stripe coat over any edges, an intermediate coat, another stripe coat, then caulking of all areas where steel abuts steel to prevent rust.
Contact Avedissian at (609) 886-8600 Ext 27 or at: savedissian@cmcherald.com.