Memorandum
Date: August 12, 2025
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Lars Ewing, Public Works Director
Subject: Waive the Competitive Bidding Process pursuant to section 2-38.2(2) for the purchase of hot mix asphalt from Granite Construction for the 2025 road crew chip seal projects as the unique nature of the goods or services precludes competitive bidding
Executive Summary:
The Department of Public Works road crew is undertaking numerous road resurfacing projects in the 2025 construction season. These projects generally consist of localized road repairs and the placement of a leveling course of asphalt where necessary, followed by a double chip seal and fog seal. The projects require a consistent and reliable supply of asphalt to meet scheduling, material quality, and operational efficiency goals.
County road crews will be responsible for hauling the asphalt directly from the supplier to various job sites. The Granite Construction asphalt plant located at the Highway 175 quarry just outside Lakeport is the only viable source of asphalt within a reasonable driving distance from the various project sites for County road crews to perform hauling. Using a supplier located farther from the planned work areas would significantly increase hauling times, fuel usage, and labor costs. Additionally, longer transport times risk compromising the quality of the asphalt mix upon arrival at job sites, potentially resulting in substandard pavement performance.
Pursuing competitive selection in this instance is not in the County's economic interest as the proximity of Granite's 175 quarry to the project locations makes it the only practical and cost-effective source of supply. Further, Granite Construction has a well-established record of producing asphalt that meets the County's performance specifications.
Along with the explanation provided above, the material quotes from Granite are included herein to satisfy the requirement of County code secti...
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