County rejects ferry bid

Wahkiakum County commissioners formally rejected the one bid they received last week to build a new ferry.

US Fabrication bid $8.5 million for the project, well above the engineer's estimate of $4.3 million.

In a letter to the board, Public Works Director Pete Ringen said he wanted to put the project out to bid again, but first, he wants to investigate some of the issues that might have led to the difference between the bid and the estimate.

The bidder had requested a longer bid period because they're working on a bid for another project, Ringen said, and "apparently felt they did not have adequate staffing resources to simultaneously focus on preparing a bid on two projects."

He also felt the county's bonding requirements might have discouraged some bidders, for shipyards don't normally have to furnish as high a bond as the county requires.

"While it may be premature to think about the outcome of a second bid process, a second very high bid could lead to project delay as additional funding is sought, perhaps through more federal ferry board discretionary grant funds or similar sources," Ringen said.