The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) awarded 17 single-bid contracts exceeding their internal engineer’s estimates to Kentucky’s highway contractors in March. The single-bid awards totaled $9,644,919, costing taxpayers $383,384 above and beyond the estimated price for those projects.

Mountain Enterprise’s single bid haul last month added up to $3,492, 682. The largest of Mountain’s four single-bid awards was $1.3 million for “various routes in Pike County.” KYTC rejected another single-bid attempt by the company for a KY 582 project in Knott County.

Hinkle Contracting secured four single-bid contracts in March, totaling $2,148,350. Hinkle’s largest single bid award was $843,245 for “various routes in Pulaski County.”

The Allen Company got back in the mix of things last month. Allen was awarded $1,777,949 in single-bid contracts, including a $1.1 million US Hwy 27 project near Stanford. In sum, Allen’s three single-bid contracts exceeded KYTC’s internal estimates by $63,422.

L-M Asphalt Partners had more single-bid attempts rejected (4) than awarded (2) in March. One of their rejected bids was a $609,194 proposal for “various routes in Clay County” that exceeded the engineer’s estimate by $39,465.54. L-M’s two successful single-bid awards totaled $1,135,862.

Rounding out the month, Jim Smith Contracting won 2 single-bid contracts totaling $313,688. Gaddie Shamrock and Rame Contracting secured one single-bid award each from KYTC.

So far in 2021, the Transportation Cabinet has awarded 44 single-bid contracts with price proposals exceeding their internal project estimates. KYTC officials have unsuccessfully lobbied for a $500+ million gas tax increase on Kentuckians during the last five sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly.

See this link for a complete list of the single bid activity from last month.