Mobile City Council approves $11 million resurfacing contract amid DBE questions

The Mobile City Council reviewed and authorized an $11 million agreement with Harwell and Company for the 2026 capital improvement program resurfacing work, city staff said.

Council members pressed administration for a district-by-district breakdown of the $11 million, asking whether the total reflected contributions from individual council district CIP allocations or included citywide funding. City staff said the amount is a combination of the CIP funds contributed by each district and that staff will provide a per-district breakdown to council members.

A council member praised Harwell's prior local work but also raised concerns that the contractor had “fell short of not by a large percentage, but a small percentage” of the DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) goals and asked staff to clarify whether the shortfall was caused by availability of certified firms or scheduling concerns. The council member requested follow-up from administration on the DBE shortfall and whether it affected the work schedule.

Council discussion also covered procurement practice: members said the city typically splits large resurfacing projects by commission district to speed delivery and noted that District 6 has a separate contract. Staff confirmed the award followed a competitive bidding process in accordance with state bid law.

The pre-meeting item included multiple contract- and purchase-order approvals on the consent list; council signaled it would provide additional detail to members about the allocation of funds across districts.

The item will appear on the council agenda for formal action; staff said they will return with the requested breakdown and further information about DBE compliance.