10-12-2010, 05:49 AM
quote:Interesting. I know here on the mainland a curb cut project was bid (5 intersections, 4 corners, sweep cut for both directions) the cost per unit came to about $5,500 per corner from non-regional companies, but $3,250 from local contractors. Surprisingly, the largest non construction cost was traffic mitigation, the cost to set up barriers, police presence, and similar items). The majority of former contracts were all on the high end until a local contracting firm formed a contracting co-op with other smaller local companies and were able to underbid the large state/national companies. Do you know who bid on this versus who could do it but didn't bid? Working to enable smaller local companies to compete and bid on these projects has enabled many communities in the US to start reducing cost. Often it’s nothing more than the requirements that put on the company that places smaller local companies at a disadvantage.
Originally posted by Rob Tucker
ADA curb cuts. On Oahu the curb ramps at corners were costing $8,000 ea. On Maui they were $6,000 ea. Here in Hilo they were $35,000 ea. It doesn't take that much thought to see what is the common way of doing business in the county with procurement.
As for the larger project, you need to know if that is the construction/build out contract cost for the project or the total cost of the project. Remember, government is not like the private customer. You can tailor a proposal to favor a particular company or you can decide who to pick based on who goes to what church. You can make changes at will without regard to those bidding on the project. But government has to issue proposals that are neutral of any favoritism and that can add cost because you have to make it a level field. Often just trying to be fair comes at a higher price. And it is that fairness over low cost that the people demand in procurement. So a detailed breakdown of the cost mentioned really is needed to form any opinion.