Company argues state should rebid first phase of prison construction

Clark & Sullivan Constructors Inc., the third-lowest bidder at $101.7 million, has challenged state plans to negotiate with the lowest bidder to trim the construction cost and get work started on at least 1,000 prison beds.

Clark & Sullivan has said that the low bidder, Sletten Construction of Nevada, didn't submit a bid within 10 percent of the budget for the project. Such a bid would allow the state to negotiate a scaled-back prison.

But Richard Knapp, chief of design for the state Public Works Board, said Sletten's $97.2 million bid is within the 10 percent that allows for negotiations with Sletten to lower the construction price.

The dispute is being reviewed by Clark County District Judge Sally Loehrer.

Knap said the budget for the Cold Creek State Prison Complex project is $88.7 million, which makes the Sletten bid 9.6 percent over budget but within the 10 percent limit allowing for negotiations.

Knapp said that if the agency is allowed to proceed with the project, the 1,500 beds planned in the first phase of construction likely will be reduced to 1,000 beds and a gymnasium will be put on hold.

If the agency has to rebid the project, it probably will specify the same changes of 1,000 beds and no gym to minimize delays, Knapp said.

This first phase of the project, which will take about 18 months, includes core facilities, such as cooking, heating and sewer requirements, for 3,000 inmates.

Two square miles of land adjacent to the Southern Desert Correctional Center, about 40 miles northwest of Las Vegas on U.S. Highway 95, may eventually accommodate three 3,000-bed medium security prisons and one 1,000-bed maximum security prison.

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