W.O. 20-38, Broadwater & Central Signal Conduit, is part of the on-going traffic signal replacement project. The city has been upgrading the existing traffic controllers, communication equipment, and detection to allow staff to immediately respond to traffic demands.  There are two existing signals on Broadwater Avenue (14th & 16th Streets West), three existing signals on Central Avenue (Santa Fe Drive, 15th Street West, and Moore Lane), and one existing signal at 4th Avenue North and North 26th Street that have collapsed conduits that need to be replaced to perform the necessary upgrades.  In addition, 4th Avenue North & North 26th will have a new signal pole installed for the northbound traffic from the new parking garage. Each intersection was designated as a separate schedule in the bid.  Accordingly, staff opened bids on May 26th, 2020, for the project. The contract was advertised on May 8th, 15th, and 22nd, 2020, in The Yellowstone County News and on the City's website. There was only one bid, and Yellowstone Electric Company submitted the lowest responsible bid.  However, Yellowstone Electric Company had multiple bid irregularities in Schedules 5 and 6 of the bid.  They left eight of the bid items blank in these two schedules.  Schedule 5 is Central Avenue & 15th Street West, and Schedule 6 is Central Avenue & Moore Lane.  If council approves the contract without schedules 5 and 6 as staff is recommending, staff will determine a plan to get the work from those schedules accomplished through a separate project in the future.

The Council may:

• Award Schedules 1 - 4 of W.O. 20-38, Broadwater & Central Signal Conduit, to Yellowstone Electric Company in the amount of $284,986.07; or
• Do not award a contract and reject all bids. If the project is not awarded, the traffic signals on these streets will not be upgraded.

The following bid was received:

Contractor	Base Bid
Yellowstone Electric Co.	$369,180.67

The project was budgeted in FY20 using arterial funds.  The amount budgeted was $400,000.00.  By awarding Schedules 1 - 4, the bid amount is $284,986.07.  This amount is less than the budget, and the remaining budget will be used for remaining intersection upgrades in the following fiscal year. 

Staff recommends the City Council award a contract for W.O. 20-38, Broadwater & Central Signal Conduit, Schedules 1 - 4 to Yellowstone Electric Co. in the amount of $284,986.07.