DEERFIELD — Officials expect to go out to bid in a few weeks for the first phase of upgrades to the South Deerfield Wastewater Treatment Facility on Sunderland Road, and plan to be flexible regarding the work needed to attract contractors.
“The market is really kind of crazy right now for bids,” Select Board member Trevor McDaniel said at a board meeting last week. “Contractors are very busy.”
McDaniel explained that in looking at similar projects locally, “bids are coming in high” — likely because of the expense or unavailability of materials due to plants shutting down during the pandemic.
“And since contractors are busy, they’re not as hungry for work,” he said.
In anticipation of that, the town opted to do six bid alternates — or components of the project that are not included in the base price of a bid.
The first phase of the project at the South Deerfield Wastewater Treatment Facility is estimated at roughly $11 million. McDaniel previously explained Deerfield has secured a 40-year, approximately $8 million loan (at 2.125% interest) and a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay for the upgrades.
