Staff recommends City Council award a contract for W.O. 24-28: Water Treatment Plant Sediment Hauling, to Gairrett Excavation and Trucking, Inc. in the amount of $149,500.

W.O. 24-28: Water Treatment Plant Sediment Hauling, will remove sediment from the drying ponds at the Water Treatment Plant.  Water from the Yellowstone River enters the sedimentation basins where the water is treated to remove sediment.  Throughout the year, sediment accumulates in the basins and must be removed.  Each year, Water Treatment Plant staff dredges the sediment from the sedimentation basins so that the intake from the Yellowstone River remains open.  The dredged material is placed in the drying ponds to dry and is later removed to provide capacity for the following year of dredging operations.

The project was advertised on February 16, February 23, and March 1, 2024, in the Yellowstone County News and on the City's website.  Bids were opened on March 5, 2024, and three (3) bids were received.  Gairrett Excavation and Trucking, Inc. submitted the lowest, responsible bid.

City Council may:

• Award W.O. 24-28: Water Treatment Plant Sediment Hauling, to Gairrett Excavation and Trucking, Inc. in the amount of $149,500; or
• Do not award a contract and reject all bids.  If the project is not awarded, the sediment in the drying ponds will accumulate to the point where there won't be adequate room for the dredged material from the sediment basins.  If the sediment basins can't be dredged, silt from the river may plug the raw water intake, not allowing enough water to reach the Water Treatment Plant.

The following bids were received:  
 

CONTRACTOR	BID AMOUNT
Gairrett Trucking and Excavation, Inc.	$149,500.00
Knife River	$202,950.00
Askin Construction, LLC	$233,000.00

The project was budgeted in FY24 using Water operation and maintenance funds.  There is sufficient budget to award this contract.