TORONTO -A new company will be responsible for the early site work for the new Toronto High School project, after the city school board met July 8 and approved the Niles-based company, Rudzik Excavating Inc.
Prior to the company's contract being accepted, the board first had to reaffirm its prior determination from a June 23 meeting that RSV Inc. is "not a responsive and responsible contractor" and rejected its bid.
Superintendent Fred Burns explained RSV Inc. originally submitted the lowest bid following bid openings on June 16. However, upon reviewing how the bond was submitted, it was found the process was done incorrectly, Burns said.
The district's construction manager, Hammond Construction, along with the Ohio School Facilities Commission, had informed the district's legal adviser, David Riley, about the problems with how RSV's bond was submitted.
Directions for bond submission indicate bidders can provide a performance bond or a cashier's check, but not a combination of both, as RSV did. As a result, the board rejected the bid, Burns noted.
Those with RSV were notified through letter of the board's decision and were given the opportunity to protest the decision.
Burns noted the company, along with its legal counsel, did meet with representatives from the school district and the OSFC on July 7. But on July 8, the board still upheld its previous decision in determining the process was not done correctly.
As a result, a contract was awarded to the second-lowest bidder, Rudzik Excavating. The amount of the contract is not to exceed $1,137,520.
(Ghrist can be contacted at jstenger@heraldstaronline.com.)
