Procurement round-up: Repairs coming to the Charlottesville Transit Station

In order to build and maintain infrastructure, local governments mostly hire companies to do the work of implementation. Public entities are required by law to keep the process open for public inspection and one of the tasks Charlottesville Community Engagement undertakes is to go through all of those documents in order to increase understanding. 

Athens Building Corporation of Richmond has been awarded a contract to make repairs to the Downtown Transit Center which was completed in 2007. The work will “address specific exterior components including sealants, store front/curtain wall elements, exterior wood components, paints and finishes, and other items.”  (learn more)

The winning company submitted a bid of $188,961 and Piedmont Paint and Finish submitted a bid of $242,000. The official description is for a “Total Base Bid for the contractor to furnish all labor, supervision, equipment, tools parts and materials, as necessary, to complete the scope of work as per all terms, conditions and specifications herein.”

Work is expected to begin on September 3 and be completed by November 15.

Charlottesville’s public works department has recently built several sections of sidewalk but are seeking a contractor to install “new curb and sidewalk in the right of way on the north side of Azalea Dr. adjacent to 2715 Jefferson Park Ave.”  

This new section would be connected to existing sidewalks on Azalea Drive and will connect to a future crosswalk and handicap ramp. (learn more)

That work is funded in part through the Safe Routes to School program according to Afton Schneider, the city’s director of communications and public engagement. 

Here are some other recent procurement activities in Charlottesville. 

• Vess Excavating Ltd of Charlottesville submitted the lowest bid for a project to build curb extensions at Hazel Street and St. Claire Avenue. This will replace plastic bollards that are currently in place. Vess submitted the lowest bid of $41,224 and has been awarded the contract. (learn more)
• Vess Excavating Ltd also won the contract for a project to build new 2 handicap ramps and sidewalk at Johnson Elementary School. They had the lowest bid with $22,905. (learn more)

• Firms who want to do the work to build a paved cycling trail between Madison Avenue and the Washington Park parking lot had until August 23 to submit their bids. (learn more)
• The city is also seeking a firm to “furnish, install, service, maintain, and stock snack food vending machines and beverage vending  machines” in 31 locations. “It is very important to them that if they need or want to use these machines that the items are both fresh and heated or cooled to the appropriate temperature,” reads a portion of the bid documents. “The way a vendor could hit it out of the park is if the machines worked so well and were well stocked that the vendor would have to hear from the City outside of variously checking-in or occasional reviews.” Did AI write that? The deadline is September 9. (learn more) 
• Cummins Inc of Richmond has been awarded a contract to provide a new or remanufactured engine for one of the trolley-style buses operated by Charlottesville Area Transit. (learn more)
• Charlottesville is seeking a firm to remove and replace 19 heat pump units at Greenbrier Elementary School. A request for quotations was sent out on August 20 and bids are due on September 25. (learn more)
• August 21 was the final day to submit a bid to replace an emergency generator at the Smith Aquatic Center. Work won’t take place until September 2025. A notice of an award has not yet been granted but Vess Excavating submitted the lowest bid. (learn more)
• Bids close on August 28 to replace various pieces of equipment such as hydrants in the city’s water system. (learn more)

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the August 21, 2024 edition of the newsletter. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.