M.D. award bridge file contract

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

During the M.D. of Taber Council meeting that took place on October 22,  Corey Greene, Director of Municipal Operations brought a Request for Decision before Council regarding tender results on Bridge File #80186 Girder Replacement.

Greene says that a total of 11 bids were submitted for the project with prices ranging from $599,910 to $996,200, and following the review of the tenders submitted, the recommendation was made to accept the low bid.

The Request for Decision states that currently, this bridge is one of the two bridges within the M.D. of Taber that has the experimental girder material design and has been on the M.D.’s replacement list for some time now. In 2024, the RFD states, the M.D. received funding to replace the girders that are failing. 

According to the memo, the M.D. of Taber has a capital budget of $800,000 to pay for their commitment portion of the funding model which equates to 25 per cent M.D. funding ($174,142.53) and 75 per cent STIP funding ($522,428), and Engineering’s original estimate was $696,570.53 including all construction and engineering fees. 

Administration’s recommendation, according to the memo, was that the M.D. of Taber award tender 80186-02 to the low bidder, as submitted by Sure-Seal Contracting Ltd. with an award amount of $599,910 excluding GST.

Bridge repairs, Reeve Tamara Miyanaga stated, are extremely expensive and M.D. of Taber pays 25 per cent but then has had the good fortune to receive 75 per cent in STI funding which is a provincial grant that the M.D. applies for every year for certain projects.

“This is a very important bridge replacement and we’re very fortunate that the province recognizes that this is an important part of our transportation in our community,” said Reeve Miyanaga. 

Ultimately, Councillor Reynolds made the motion that the M.D. of Taber award tender 80186-02 to the low bidder, as submitted by Sure-Seal Contracting Ltd. with an award amount of $599,910 excluding GST, and the motion was carried.