Bidding busy for vets home

Addison Construction of Las Vegas submitted the apparent low bid Thursday to build the state's first skilled-nursing home for veterans, to be located in Boulder City.

Richard Knapp, with the State Public Works Board, said Addison's bid was $14,659,400, slightly under the $14.8 million estimated cost of the building phase of the $19.3 million project that is expected to begin May 1.

Twenty-six bids were submitted on the 180-bed facility.

"We had so many requests we decided to extend (the bidding process) from Jan. 27 to Feb. 4," said Steve Clark, the state's deputy executive director of veterans affairs. "We extended it so everyone would have a fair chance."

Though Addison was the apparent low bidder, Knapp said there is a lengthy process to go through before the company is awarded the construction project.

Federal law requires that the four lowest bidders be asked to submit additional information to be used in the final selection.

The other three low bidders, all Las Vegas companies, are:

* Nielsen Dillingham, $15.8 million.

* J.A. Jones, $15.9 million.

* Pace Contractors, $16.08 million.

Knapp said the information was to be submitted to the Las Vegas office of the Public Works Board within two hours after bid opening.

He said his Carson City office has not yet received the additional information but he should have it today.

Next week, the bids will be sent to the Veterans Affairs office in Washington, D.C.. Knapp said approval there will take about 45 days.

He said approval is usually a matter of formality, but construction can't begin without the approval.

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