(File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Contract review

Local companies hope to bid on city’s Primary Sanitary Sewer Trunk Upgrade project

Apr 19, 2021 | 1:26 PM

Some North Battleford council members are hoping to have local companies be included in the bid process for the Primary Sanitary Sewer Trunk Upgrade project that is in the planning stages.

Councillor Bill Ironstand said he would like to see more smaller companies have an opportunity to bid on the job.

Ironstand put forth a motion on the issue at council’s recent meeting.

“I’m not asking we give these projects to the little companies. I’m asking to give them the opportunity to bid on them,” he said.

Mayor David Gillan agreed with Ironstand’s suggestion.

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“They are people who live here. In 2016 when we had an oil spill, we needed them to come and build a pipeline in a hurry,” Gillan said. “Now when there is a big contact, we’re not letting them bid. That’s a problem for me.”

City Manager Randy Patrick is concerned about the contract legalities at this point, since the pre-qualification process has already been completed.

Council previously agreed to follow the engineering firm’s advice that was given.

“It was a look to see if you qualify to bid on the project,” Patrick said.

Currently four companies are qualified to bid on the work – two from Saskatchewan and two from Alberta.

Patrick noted if the bidding process is opened up again, any number of firms could apply including those outside the area and the province. The city is not able to give local preference.

There was also a question about provincial and federal guidelines to follow, as the project is a partnership.

Patrick will review the legalities and bring a report on the issue for council’s next meeting for discussion, to see if anything can be done at this point and what the ramifications might be.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow