New Upweller Bids Below Cost Estimates

CHATHAM – After the initial bid on the mechanical systems for the new shellfish upweller at 90 Bridge St. came in substantially higher than estimates, the town had some good news late last week. New bids opened Friday were more in line with the anticipated costs.

 Three bids were filed for the seawater system for the shellfish grow-out operation, which includes pumps and other mechanical equipment, as opposed to the single bid previously received. The lowest bid was almost $400,000 below the estimate, whereas the earlier bid was more than $1.2 million over the cost projection.

 For decades the town’s shellfish department has grown out seed shellfish in its upweller in space on the first floor of the harbormaster’s building at Old Mill Boatyard. Plans call for relocating the upweller to 90 Bridge St., where it will occupy space in the historic former Stage Harbor Coast Guard boathouse.

 Last week the select board awarded a $2,199,747 contract to Robert B. Our Co. of Harwich for renovations to the boathouse, which now sits on pilings at the site after being transported to Chatham from New Bedford in March. The structure spent several weeks in New Bedford undergoing preparation for the journey after spending years in a Quincy shipyard while officials sought a location for it in Chatham.

 After Our’s high bid on the seawater system, town staff and consultants reviewed specifications and components and put the project out to bid again on a short timeline; the contract needed to be awarded and work authorized by the end of the month in order to qualify for a state grant.

 Our again submitted a bid, but at $2,588,729 it was again much higher than the cost estimate of $1,495,440. Moving Waters, Inc. of Ashland was the apparent low bidder at $1,063,100, while N&M Excavating and Utilities of Abington bid $1,380,000.

 According to Natural Resources Director Greg Berman, the bids are under review, and staff expects to ask the select board to award a contract at the board’s June 16 meeting.