Cowlitz County reissues landfill-gas bid after advertising error; awards and change orders reported

County engineering staff reported several procurement and contract updates at the briefing.

Susan, the county engineer, said the solicitation for landfill-gas services had been pulled from last week’s agenda because it was not advertised in the local paper of record, which contradicts county purchasing policy; staff will reissue the call for bids.

She explained the annual equipment-rental solicitation process (used for excavators, extra pumps, rollers and similar equipment) and said the county accepts all responsible bidders and holds a price schedule for daily, weekly and monthly rentals for 2026.

On construction contracts, Susan described three change orders for the South Cloverdale Road intersection project: Change Order 1 was a $540 credit that replaced extensive flagging with temporary traffic signals and driveway assistance devices; Change Order 2 extended the utility work window so utility crews have longer suspension periods without contractor working days charged; Change Order 3, which staff presented for approval, increases the contract by $6,300 to add gravel backfill behind a wall that was omitted as a separate bid item.

Susan also noted the Italian Creek Road culvert replacement (near Mile Post 1.9) was completed by DeWitt Construction; the damaged 36-inch corrugated metal pipe was replaced with a 14-foot by 5-foot open-bottom box at a final contract cost of $404,161.11, roughly $30,000 under the bid.

Commissioners asked technical questions about fish passage sizing and the contract closeout; staff said the culvert meets aquatic-organism passage requirements for that waterway.