August 2009

Two tenders for the Portage Credit Union Centre had to be amended by City of Portage la Prairie council at their regular meeting Monday.

A tender awarded to Haywood Concrete for about $365,100 was deleted and replaced by a tender to LaFarge Canada Inc. for $390,000.

The amendment, passed by unanimous council vote, was needed because Hayward Concrete could not provide the required concrete for the centre.

Construction site management company Dominion Construction recommended that council change the tender to the LaFarge.

Council awarded Haywood Concrete the tender on Sept. 8, 2008 but since that time it was determined that Haywood had not actually produced any hollow core and had only purchased equipment to make eight-inch thick hollow core when the job requires both eight-inch and 12-inch thick hollow core, Coun. Jeff Bereza read from Dominion’s comments in a Community Services Committee report during the meeting.

Hollow core is concrete that has hollow cylindrical shafts running through it.

It was also determined that Hayward wouldn’t be able to purchase any 12-inch hollow core, either.

“Therefore,” Bereza read, “because Dominion was not confident that Haywood could produce the hollow core required or purchase the 12-inch hollow core, we recommended negotiating with the next lowest bidder. LaFarge originally quoted $396,400 and ultimately agreed to a contract price of $390,000. The pre-cast line item increased $24,890.”

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