Planning Bid and Contract Award Schedules
Guidance fof Planning Bid and Contract Award Schedules
This document has been prepared to provide information in order to better understand the bidding and construction time frames.
In general, it takes 9 weeks from a Consultant's preparation of the final plans to the earliest possible notice to proceed, and the entire schedule hinges around timing the process to coincide with Council meeting dates. Our internal procedures for advertising, awarding, and approval of contracts determine how the schedule will progress. The following schedule applies for projects solely governed by Overland Park requirements. Projects involving KDOT, Johnson County CARS or SMAC, or other agencies may involve additional requirements. If you have a special case or need more information, please contact the Contract Specialists.
The critical path is as follows:
Review of Contract Documents – At least 7 to 10 days prior to publication of the Notice to Bidders, the project manager and contract specialist need to review the contract documents to ensure accuracy prior to copies being made to sell.
- Week 1 - Thursday - Provide the contract specialist with the Notice to Bidders electronically, or provide the necessary information for the Notice to Bidders, no later than 12:00 p.m. so publication can be arranged for the following Tuesday edition of The Legal Record.
- Week 2 - Tuesday - Notice to Bidders published in The Legal Record. Try to allow 14 to 21 days for preparation of bids. The City must have one full set of final bid documents no later than this day, and the Consultant must have sufficient copies on hand for sale. Copies of Notice to Bidders should be mailed out to Contractor's on the potential bidders list the day before publication of Notice to Bidders. Consultant shall provide copies of bid documents to plan rooms no later than this day (11 plan rooms take CD's, 1 takes hard copy).
- Week 3 or early part of Week 4 – Hold the pre-bid meeting. The contractor's need a little time to become aware of the project and decide on whether or not to proceed. Any pre-bid meeting should be held in sufficient time that if defects in the contract documents are noted, an addendum can be issued.
- Week 4 - Thursday - Any addenda must be in the mail and faxed to bidders on the bid list by the end of this day, which is 4 days prior to bid opening, unless the bid date is being postponed.
- Week 5 - Tuesday - Bid opening, held at 2:00 p.m. in City Hall. Consultant must pick up copies of bids to perform tabulations and provide recommendation.
- Week 5 - Wednesday - Consultant must have recommendation to City by 3:00 p.m. so that it can be placed on Council agenda.
- Week 6 - Monday – Results of bid opening and suggested award of contract are provided to Governing Body. NOTE: The Governing Body regularly meets the 1st and 3rd Monday's of the month, but it is not unusual for meetings to be cancelled in certain months when conflicts arise with holidays or other events. Project managers should check the Council meeting schedule periodically to determine if the anticipated meeting is still planned. This entire bid schedule hinges upon the scheduling of the Council meeting.
- Week 6 - Tuesday - Contract specialist will prepare the contracts for execution by the successful contractor. Contractor is notified they have been awarded the contract and they have 10 days to return executed contracts.
- Week 7 - Friday - Final date for agreement to be returned from successful bidder. If the contractor returns the contracts sooner, the remaining items may all be moved up and notice to proceed issued more quickly.
- Week 8 - Monday - Contract documents are reviewed by the contract specialist and given to the Law Department for approval. The contracts are then forwarded to the Mayor for signature.
- Week 9 - Tuesday - Contracts returned to Public Works with Mayor's signature. Contractor's copy is returned to them. This is the earliest for which a notice to proceed can properly be given.