On December 29th, Jackson County Legislators Manny Abarca and Vanessa Huskey introduced a new ordinance, Ordinance No. 5825, to implement new rules relating to County development incentives and responsible bidding on County projects. The legislation is intended to save tax payers money and insue that the bidding process is fair. At time of printing, which predates the time of the December 29th meeting, The Labor Beacon has been informed that this will not be voted on until the new year. A story in our next paper will address the outcome of such a vote. Legislator Abarca and Huskey will need a number of other legislators to join them to get this legislation passed.
Ordinance No. 5825 includes requirements that contractors meet certain standards, including healthcare and apprenticeship programs that help to keep both workers and the industry healthy, in order to be considered “responsible bidders”. This legislation would institute these standards for any project over $75,000.
Across the United States, public and private construction users are beginning to replace traditional low-bid procurement systems with alternatives that ensure quality and level the playing field. The term “responsible bidder” for construction contracts means a bidder who meets all applicable criteria and submits evidence of such compliance.
Responsible Bidder Ordinances ultimately drive economic development. RBOs increase the likelihood that local contractors will win bids, keeping tax dollars in the community and supporting the local economy through increased consumer demand. RBOs also ensure that infrastructure projects are completed right, on time, the first time at high levels of quality. High-quality infrastructure ensures that schools are safe, bridges are durable and transportation systems are able to efficiently transport goods and people to the global marketplace. Responsible Bidder Ordinances are the best value for taxpayers.
Some construction users are adopting best-value and quality-contracting bidding procedures, while others are drafting legislation and regulation requiring contractors to pre-qualify before bidding. Responsible bidding is the idea that public construction projects paid for by taxpayer money such as schools, libraries and water treatment plants need not automatically be awarded to the lowest bidder. The public body undertaking the project should retain some discretion to award the project to the lowest responsible bidder.
This legislation isn’t designed to give work to union members, but will inevitably lead to a more fair and level playing field for union contractors that are following the rules, giving their workers healthcare, participating in apprenticeship programs, properly paying their workers, and reinvesting in the industry. Very few contractors will opt to not bid on work covered under an RBO, and the ones that do, are usually not ones you would want on the project anyway. An RBO also guarantees that responsible contractors win public projects, rather than fly-by-night contractors who cut corners in the areas of training and safety. This type of language promotes high quality, highly trained workforce and levels the playing field for all bidders.
If Jackson County passes Ordinance 5825, it will lead to a better return for tax payers and a better world for workers working in the construction industry, union and non-union. Projects will be completed at a better standard and with better protections for workers.
RBOs have also been found to increase the share of local contractors winning bids, supporting the local economy and keeping work local. Worker turnover is also lower in counties and municipalities that have responsible bidder language passed. At the end of the day, RBOs are a protection for taxpayers and workers.
This story was originally published on the previous website for The Labor Beacon. The content of each story from the orginal website has been preserved, but the formatting has not.
