FORD CITY — The Ford City Borough Municipal Sewage Disposal Authority Monday awarded a contract to S&E Utility Contracting Inc. of Jeannette, for $1.87 million, to do a planned sewer-separation project.
It was the second time bids were solicited for the project. It had to be rebid because of an oversight in the process that was discovered by a PennVEST compliance enforcement official, after sewage authority officials had approved a contract in July. In the first bids, the authority did not receive confirmation of contact from any minority contractors.
S&E Utility Contracting was the low bidder both times. Four companies submitted bids in the second round of bids. S&E's earlier bid was $1.88 million.
The authority's board approved the contract pending review by its solicitor and engineer and approval by PennVEST and the state's Department of Community and Economic Development.
The project is funded by a PennVEST loan of up to $1.57 million and a $785,000 H2O-PA grant.
Engineer Dave Nichols said the project will begin construction soon.
"I expect the earliest date is a month from now," he said.
The project's timetable is in compliance with state and funding sources, Nichols said. It must be completed by December 2011, he said.
The project is for about 325 homes, a third of the borough. It will take place on Third Avenue between 12th and 14th streets; Fourth Avenue between 12th and 14th streets; Fifth Avenue between O'Connor and 14th streets; Sixth Avenue between 11th and 12th streets; Seventh Avenue Extension between Seventh and Eighth streets; the 500 block of Fifth Avenue; and the 400 block of Sixth Avenue. Also affected will be 12th Street between Third and Sixth avenues, and 14th Street between Third and Fourth avenues.
Two blocks on Sixth Avenue were completed in 2008.
