Boone County approves BOT procurement for small‑structure replacements

The Boone County Board of Commissioners on April 13 authorized the county highway department to proceed with a build‑operate‑transfer (BOT) procurement method for small‑structure replacements and to develop a request for proposals with consultant support.

Mike Ralski of the Boone County Highway Department said Indiana law permits public infrastructure projects to be delivered under BOT arrangements, which let designers, contractors and owners collaborate from project outset. "Using BOT allows all three parties to work together from the beginning," Ralski said, noting the method can speed project delivery, incentivize efficiency and potentially allow the county to complete more replacements under the current funding allocation.

Ralski said BFS will assist in developing the RFP, run the public selection process and, if selected, help negotiate a public‑private agreement that includes guaranteed maximum price protections. He said costs to prepare the RFP and related work will be paid from bond funds previously allocated for small structure replacements; staff corrected a momentary misstatement and confirmed the funds will come from bond funds.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions and approved the BOT approach on a motion and second.

What it means: The BOT method allows the county to seek a developer/partner to deliver multiple small bridge/structure projects more quickly than the traditional design‑bid‑build approach; the consultant will run the RFP and public hearing process before any agreement is finalized.

Next steps: Highway staff and BFS will prepare an RFP and conduct the procurement and public hearings required by statute before finalizing any BOT contract.