Salina City Commissioners Monday evening approved a project for new scales and a new scale house at the Salina Solid Waste Municipal Landfill.

The project is part of the approved 2026 Capital Improvement Program and is planned to be constructed in 2026.

The project had on original bid opening of April 2nd. The City Commission approved rejecting all bids from that opening and re-bidding the project with a change in scope.

The posting for project bids went live on May 8, 2026, on the City web page and in the Salina Blueprint plan room. A pre-bid meeting was held May 19. Bids were opened May 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. with 5 bids received:

Although Ponton Construction was the low bid, they did not fill out unit prices on the bid form submitted on the day of letting. They provided a single “lump sum” amount under Item 35, New Scale House Building. Section 12.2 states in part, “All blanks on the bid form must be completed. A bid price shall be indicated for each bid item, alternative, and unit price item listed therein.”

Ponton Construction did submit a completed bid form with unit prices on Monday, June 1st, three days after the bid opening. When tabulated, the late bid form was different than their originally submitted lump sum and the form was not signed.

Vogts Construction was the next low bid at $3,239,888.76. Vogts submitted correctly filled out bid forms with unit prices at the time of opening.

Approving the improper bid from Ponton Construction would set a bad precedent for future construction project bids. The City would in effect be telling bidders they all they need is the lump sum for bid opening, and unit prices can be submitted at some later date, potentially affecting the overall bid.

Since our bid openings are public, this practice could create unfair bidding scenarios. Section 17.1 of the bid document states, “Discrepancies between the multiplication of unit of work and unit prices will be resolved in favor of the unit prices”. As with the Ponton Construction bid, the unit prices submitted after bid opening altered their overall bid. Unit prices are important in construction bids to accurately track expenditures and for transparency. It allows the City to realize cost savings when applicable as well as justify increases (change
orders) when necessary.

Four of the five bidders for this project submitted properly filled out bid forms at the time of opening.

Commissioners approved the bid from Vogts Construction in the amount of $3,239,888.76.

Funding will be General Obligation Bonds supported by the Solid Waste Fund.