OXNARD : New Bids Sought for Colonia Gymnasium
Construction of the Colonia gymnasium may be delayed up to three months after the Oxnard City Council voted to take new bids, city officials said.
The Edwards Group, a Newport Beach construction firm that had been accused of ignoring minority recruitment policies, withdrew its low bid last week.
Redevelopment Agency officials recommended Tuesday that the council accept the second-lowest bid from American Construction Inc. of Lancaster, but the council voted 3 to 2 to reject it.
Council members told redevelopment officials that they wanted a clarification of what it meant to make a “good-faith effort” to recruit minority subcontractors before awarding the project.
The Edwards Group had submitted a $799,691 bid for the project, the lowest of 11. The company solicited minority subcontractors by placing advertisements in trade publications but did not specifically contact them to offer them work, Finance Director Rudy Muravez said.
American Construction had submitted a bid of $811,500. City officials said it may take 10 weeks to rebid the project, which involves construction of a 10,996-square-foot gym.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
