TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After years of delay, a unanimous Township Council has approved a $4.9 million contract to build a new Department of Public Works facility on the footprint of the former DPW site, behind Town Hall.
The Sept. 8 vote awarded the $4,933,000 base bid to Premier Building & Construction Management Inc. of Midland Park, the lowest qualified bidder. The borough received 15 bids, listed on its website under public notices.
“Thank God, finally after eight years or 10 years of being up here, [we’re] finally getting it done,” said Council President Michael DeSena.
Mayor Peter Calamari thanked DPW employees for their patience since the old facility was demolished as an EPA remediation target nearly four years ago.
In the meantime, workers have labored in part under a tent, exposed to the weather; heavy equipment has been staged at leased space at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, and at the former private Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, a town property acquired for passive recreation.
Contract details
Administrator Mark DiCarlo told the council that the contract includes a $400,000 contingency allowance for potential change orders. He stressed the township does not want to rely on change orders, but DeSena suggested the funds could eventually be applied to a needed salt shed if left unused.
The base bid does not cover $19,740 in environmental work by Lisko Environmental or $70,000 in required engineering services by Beckmeyer. DiCarlo said those costs would come from leftover funds from a decades-old school building sale.
Lisko will complete final groundwater sampling at five of the 20 monitoring wells onsite, to be covered by the new facility. If results are clean, the wells will be closed. If not, five new wells may be required, raising the environmental cost to $177,000.
The township discusses the long process to get to this point here.
Alternates left out
Two alternate bids were included in the specifications: Alt #1, an improved rear access driveway; and Alt #2, a salt shed. DiCarlo said the township could not fund either at this time, though bidders were asked to price them. He explained that if the township awarded alternates, it would have to award them in order, beginning with the driveway.
As only the base bid was awarded, Premier’s emerged as the lowest responsible bid.
DiCarlo noted that if both alternates had been included, another vendor would have been lowest overall. He said the salt shed project will likely be rebid later.
Council Vice President Steven Casio reminded DiCarlo to alert the council immediately if any change orders arise.
Councilman Michael Ullman asked whether delaying the alternates could expose the township to risk, since another bid was lower overall with alternates. DeSena said the specifications allow the township to accept or reject alternate bids.
“We’re confident and we feel good about this bid award tonight,” DiCarlo said. He added he will provide the council with a project timetable and penalties for non-compliance.
Road work contract
In other business, the council unanimously approved a $905,541 contract with Frank Macchione Construction of Rochelle Park for 2025 milling and resurfacing of Bergen Avenue, Carriage Court, Fern Street, and Salem Road. Five bids were received, and Macchione emerged as the lowest qualified bidder.