CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Projects to pave roads all around the state of West Virginia were among 21 contracts awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways on Thursday, April 28th. Three of those were in the Eastern Panhandle.
The contracts were awarded from a bid letting held Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
Contracts awarded in March:
Jefferson Asphalt Products Co. Inc. was low bidder on a paving project from Charles Town to Halltown, with a bid of $1,264,873.35. (Jefferson County)
Jefferson Asphalt Products Co. Inc. was low bidder on an interchange improvement project at Tabler Station, with a bid of $5,770,378.40. (Berkeley County)
Jefferson Asphalt Products Co. Inc. was also low bidder on a paving project from Inwood to Tabler Station, with a bid of $756,183.70. (Berkeley County)
Several factors are considered before awarding a bid, including whether a bid falls above or below the WVDOH Engineer’s Estimate and by what percentage. In cases where a bid is above the Engineer’s Estimate, WVDOH must consider the project need, repercussions of not awarding the project, additional funding sources, and whether sufficient reasons exist for the differences in estimates. Most projects are reviewed, analyzed, and awarded within a week of the bid letting, but the process can take longer.
When the Division of Highways has a project that is determined to be best constructed by a contractor, it is processed through the bid letting system. A letting is a scheduled opportunity for contractors to review and bid on several construction projects at one time. Lettings are held either once or twice per month and conducted through the Bid Express System online at www.bidx.com and handled through the Contract Administration Division. Contractors need to subscribe to Bid Express before bids can be accepted on any project.
As the date and time approach the deadline of the letting, contractors are expected to place their bids, with complete documentation as necessary. Shortly after the letting, the respective bids are reviewed. All bids are evaluated thoroughly for competitiveness and deemed acceptable through guidelines as approved by policy, reviewed, and approved by the FHWA. Award of the contracts is made based on the recommendation by our Awards Committee based on the results that evaluation and approval by the Commissioner. Projects are typically awarded to the lowest bidder with all proper documentation in place.
