City of Bellingham Public Works and Natural Resources Committee

The Bellingham Public Works and Natural Resources Committee held a brief 5-minute meeting Sunday morning to address a single administrative issue with a stormwater quality project in the Birchwood neighborhood. Committee Chair Michael Lilliquist was excused, so Council Member Lisa Anderson chaired the meeting with Council Members Jace Cotton and Hannah Hamill (who filled in as the third required member) participating. The committee unanimously recommended rejecting all six bids received for the Little Squalicum Water Quality Retrofits Phase 2 project due to an administrative irregularity in the city's bid process. Engineering Manager Freeman Anthony explained that complications with bid alternates and inflexible language in the bid specifications made it impossible to determine the low bidder among the six proposals submitted. The project, valued at an undisclosed amount, aims to improve water quality in Little Squalicum Creek through installation of biopods and enhanced stormwater treatment infrastructure in the Birchwood neighborhood. Staff plan to rebid the project with revised specifications developed in consultation with the city attorney's office to provide more flexibility and precision in the bidding process. The brief nature of this meeting reflects the straightforward administrative nature of the decision, with no controversy or extended discussion needed.

**AB 24872 - Reject all bids on Little Squalicum Water Quality Retrofits Phase 2 (EV-177), Bid No. 6B-2026** - Vote count: Unanimous approval (exact count not specified in transcript) - Staff recommendation: Reject all bids and rebid the project - Council action: Aligned with staff recommendation - Key specifics: Six bids were received and opened March 4, 2026; irregularity in bid administration prevented determination of low bidder - Practical impact: Project will be rebid with revised specifications to ensure proper vendor selection

**Freeman Anthony, on the bid irregularity:** "We had some language in the bid spec that wasn't as flexible as we would have liked." **Freeman Anthony, on the solution:** "So we intend to rebid these with revised specifications that we're working with legal on to give us some more flexibility and then allow us also to be a bit more precise in the process so we don't come back." **Hannah Hamill, on the motion:** "Yeah, I just vote to reject."