Jasper County’s contractor to construct admin building not yet certain

Jasper County may have to revisit general contractors’ remaining bids to construct the new administration building after its winning bidder on April 6 informed architects they had mis-transposed two of the numbers in their offer, board of supervisors chairman Doug Cupples said in a statement.

Read Cupples’ full statement here:

“It is now my understanding after the meeting the winning bidder contacted the architect firm informing them, they had mis-transposed (two) of the numbers. If they formally retract their bid then we will revisit the remaining bids again at next Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting.”

The county received seven bids from contractors. Edge Commercial, of Grimes, submitted the winning $3,142,500 base bid, along with a unit price of $30 per square foot and a $76,000 bid for an alternate item. Edge Commercial estimated it could begin construction May 1, and be completed by Jan. 31, 2022.

Matt Cole, an architect and partner of BBS Architects Engineers, read the bids during the board of supervisors meeting, which had extended into the afternoon after going into recess following two closed sessions. In February, Cole said the the cost for the new county administration building would be $3.77 million.

On Monday, April 5, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved the $3.6 million loan to finance the new building located at 315 W. Third. St. N. in Newton. The building was formerly occupied by the NewCare Health Services clinic.

Other bidders include:

• TBB & M, of Indianola, provided a base bid of $3,713,000; a unit price of $21 per square foot; and a $51,000 bid for an alternate item. The general contractor estimated it could start construction by May 1, and be finished by April 4, 2022.

• OLP Construction, of Urbandale, provided a base bid of $3,449,000; a unit price of $13 per square foot; and a $28,000 bid for an alternate item. The general contractor estimated it could start construction by May 15, end by April 4, 2022.

• Greiner Construction, of Des Moines, provided a base bid of $3,733,823; a unit price of $19.82 per square foot; and a $74,886 bid for an alternate item. The general contractor estimated it could start by May 10, end by March 20, 2022.

• Lang Construction, of Grimes, provided a base bid of $3,685,000; a unit price of $30 per square foot; and a $78,300 bid for an alternate item. The contractor estimated it could start by June 1, end by April 4, 2022.

• Happe Commercial, of Ankeny, provided a base bid of $3,650,000; a unit price of $9.80 per square foot; and a $76,000 bid for an alternate item. The contractor estimated it could begin by May 15, end by April 4, 2022.

• Garling Construction, of Belle Plaine, provided a base bid of $3,435,000; a unit price of $12 per square foot; and a $35,000 bid for the alternate item. The contractor estimated it could begin July 1, end by April 2, 2022.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com