ST9801-CS000905September 5, 2000
Alan D. Greer, P.E.
Freese & Nichols, Inc.
1341 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 230E
Dallas, TX 75247
RE: Coppell Road ST 98-01
Dear Mr. Greer:
As you are aware, the City of Coppell has a disagreement with Ed Bell Construction Company
concerning fittings associated with the water line. Your specifications show 3.2 tons of fittings
for the project. The specifications also provide for payment for Item 1A 13 which is Fire
Hydrant Assembly and Items 1A 16, 17, 18 & 19 which are Water Line Connections. The
description concerning those pay items is somewhat loose, however I have taken the position
because they were separate pay items that they should be considered "complete and in place".
In my opinion, "compete and in place" means that all fittings necessary to connect fire
hydrants or water lines to the main line should have been included in the individual bid price
for Pay Items 1A, 13, 16, 17, 18 & 19. Therefore, those fittings should not be included in the
ductile iron fittings pay item. Based on the bid quantity of only 3.2 tons of ductile iron
fittings, I have taken the position that ductile iron fittings was to basically provide
compensation for transitioning the water line around various obstructions and for the plugs
necessary for the water line. Again, because the bid quantity is only about one-third of the
actual fittings used, it is my opinion that the fittings associated with connecting water mains
and fire hydrants was subsidiary to those individual bid prices.
It has become extremely time consuming to continually send letters back and forth to Ed Bell
Construction Company concerning this issue. Therefore, please respond to this office as soon
as possible on how the bid item quantity of 3.2 tons was arrived at and what those 3.2 tons
included and also what specifically was included in Pay Items 1A, 13, 16, 17, 18 & 19.
Please provide this information as soon as possible so the issue concerning this pay item can be
resolved with Ed Bell Construction Company.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Kenneth M. Griffin, P.E.
Director of Engineering and Public Works
255 PARKWAY , PO.BOX 478 , COPPELL TX 75019 lit TEL 972/462 0022 'lit FAX 972/304 3673
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