A memorandum

of understanding was approved with

Wyoming Game and Fish to fix a washedout

portion of Paradise Road. However,

Sublette County Commissioners debated

if the $750,000 repair should be advertised

and bid out or handed off to only Sublette

County contractors.

Mike Jackson with Rio Verde

Engineering asked commissioners at their

May 19 meeting if he should send out a

request for proposal to local contractors

or advertise the project for bids.

Once advertised, the county could be

bound to take the lowest bid, with in-state

contractors getting a 5-percent preference.

Jackson said the unique nature of the

job means local contractors, who would

respond to requests for proposals, could

serve as general contractors but none

would be equipped to do about 60 percent

of the work to bolster the steep sides

going into the New Fork River. He said

that would most likely be subcontracted

to a larger company with specialized

equipment.

If the county sent out a request

for proposal and no local contractors

responded, then project could be delayed,

he said.

Commissioner Mack Rawhouser asked

if a bid could specify local contractors be

used for rock placement, guardrails and

concrete?

County Attorney Mike Crosson said he

would do research.

Commissioner Joel Bousman said it

would benefit the county and create a

competitive situation, if the project was

put out to bid.

Commissioner Doug Vickrey agreed,

saying, “If it’s bid, the next thing you

know maybe the project would be a lot

less than $750,000.”

Jackson said even if the bid was

awarded to a company out of the county,

it would make sense that concrete and

materials would be provided most cost

efficiently by Sublette County businesses.

Commissioner Dave Burnett said he

initially thought the project would be

less expensive but due to the high cost,

the county could benefit by putting the

project out to bid.

“It is the ethical thing to do in hopes

we could get competitive bids from our

own county,” Burnett said.

Vickrey asked, “Is the county required

to take the lowest bid.”

Burnett said the county has asked that

question in the past and there are criteria,

such as poor past performance or work

record, or inability to complete work in

a timely manner that could result in a low

bid not being accepted.