Board of Awards approves revised $2.6 million emergency controls plan for Danbury treatment plants

Chip Tolby, Danbury’s purchasing agent, told the Board of Awards on May 8 that the board had previously declared the Westlake and Marjorie treatment‑plant control systems upgrade an emergency and awarded the work to GHD but that GHD submitted a revised proposal after bonding rules made planned subcontracting infeasible. Tolby said GHD will prepare a more detailed specification, reach out to three known contractors for cost proposals, and recommend a contractor for the city to contract with directly.

Tolby said the total budget will remain $2,600,000 but the breakdown has changed: $1,285,000 for GHD engineering, programming, construction administration, startup/debug and training; $1,125,000 for materials, software and electrical construction; and a $190,000 contingency. "The city of Danbury will then contract directly with the selected contractor," Tolby said.

Tolby moved to accept GHD’s revised proposal contingent on execution of an agreement; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The board did not specify a final contractor at the meeting and Tolby said next steps are review of proposals, recommendation based on cost, qualifications, proposed approach and schedule, and direct contracting by the city.