Contractor loses $5 million job because of missing page

Of four tenders submitted for the latest phase of Sault Ste. Marie's Shannon Road construction project, R. M. Belanger Ltd. of Chelmsford, Ontario was the low bidder.

Belanger's tender, valued at $5,020,574, was carefully checked for mathematical errors.

Everything added up.

The required $100,000 bid deposit cheque was in the envelope. City staff checked out the bid to ensure Belanger had the needed experience, staff, subcontractors, Canadian content and bond agreement.

Everything was in order.

Except page FT-15.

That's the page containing the contractor's signature.

No signature - no cigar!

As a result, Belanger's unsigned tender had to be rejected.

Tonight, Sault Ste. Marie City Council is expected to award the Shannon Road project to the second-lowest bidder, Palmer Construction Group Inc., which bid $5,212,034.

Unsuccessful bidders were Ellwood Robinson Ltd. ($5,377,042) and Pioneer Construction ($5,420,866).

The job involves rebuilding approximately 1,000 metres of Shannon Road from Healey Street to Trunk Road.