Joint Meeting Council/BFPD
08/4/26 06:00 PM
Engineering
Heidy Riley
Contract
Doc ID: 6520
AGENDA ITEM
AGENDA MATTER:
REJECTION OF INFORMAL BIDS FOR CENTENNIAL PARK LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT CITY OF BARSTOW PROJECT # BGRD-26-0038
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff recommends rejecting all bids and rebidding the project as an informal contract due to the following circumstances.
The contractor awarded the contract has asserted relief under state law, citing a clerical error in their original bid. Public Contract Code section 5103 permits bidders to withdraw due to clerical errors if they notify the agency within five business days of bid submission.
The contractor awarded the Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project contract by Council on July 21, 2026, notified the City within five days of a clerical error and has withdrawn their bid in accordance with state law. Therefore, it is appropriate to reject all bids and reissue an informal bid process for the Project.
DISCUSSION:
Centennial Park is located in downtown Barstow at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Route 66 (East Main Street). The Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project aims to revitalize the park by improving functionality, accessibility, and appearance, while ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all. Project elements include ADA-compliant pathways, shade canopies, new seating, decorative retaining walls and planters, updated landscaping and irrigation, and a new monument sign at the park’s center.
On July 15, 2026, three bids for the Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project were received by the submission deadline. The lowest bid was deemed non-responsive due to missing required documentation. Staff recommended awarding the contract to the next-lowest bidder, Kormex Construction, Inc., who met all contract requirements. On July 21, 2026, the City Council awarded the project to Kormex Construction, Inc., for $197,436.
On July 23, 2026, Kormex Construction notified the City of a clerical error in their bid and withdrew, stating the corrected total was $277,036. Under Public Contract Code 5103, relief for such errors is not waived by contract award within the five-day period for error notification. Therefore, the Kormex bid cannot be executed. The revised Kormex bid and the third bid both exceed the $220,000 maximum for the informal bid process under the City’s Contract and Purchasing Policy.
Staff requests that the City Council reject all bids received on July 15, 2026, and direct staff to readvertise the informal bid for the project. A bidder asserting a clerical error may not participate in the rebid. (Public Contract Code sec. 5105.)
Staff recommends the City Council reject all informal bids and direct staff to re-advertise the project.
Although the timeline is compressed, there is sufficient time to re-notice and award the contract.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Joint Meeting Council/BFPD
08/4/26 06:00 PM
Engineering
Heidy Riley
Contract
Doc ID: 6520
AGENDA ITEM
None. The current City Council-recommended action will reject bids for the Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project and direct staff to informally rebid the project. Budgetary appropriations for the Project will be requested when the bid award is presented to the City Council at the August 18, 2026 meeting for approval.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council take the following actions:
1. Reject all informal bids received for the Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project (Project # BGRD-26-0038).
2. Authorize the re-advertisement of the informal bid for the Centennial Park Landscape Improvement Project (Project # BGRD-26-0038).