Commission approves Ramirez Construction for library expansion; staff to issue full plans for procurement

The Rio Grande City Commission approved Ramirez Construction to proceed with a library renovation project that the city characterized as work under the 5,000‑square‑foot threshold and under the city’s procurement limits for smaller projects.

At the March 19 meeting staff reported three quotes had been collected to support the expansion project and recommended Emiliano Amado Jr. for architectural and MEP services for a larger scope; however, commissioners clarified that any project or combined phases exceeding $50,000 would require formal procurement and sealed bids. To proceed without triggering a full procurement cycle, the commission approved the lowest qualified bid for the scope identified as under $50,000 and instructed staff to break the work into appropriate phases so each phase complies with procurement rules.

Planning staff said full design documents (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural seals) will be required if and when the project scale exceeds the threshold; staff recommended preparing firm specifications for use in future competitive bids to ensure fair contractor comparisons. Ramirez Construction’s bid was accepted for the current phase; staff will return with phased schedules, specifications and cost estimates for subsequent phases or a procurement plan if total project costs exceed statutory thresholds.

Ending

The commission directed staff to prepare clear scope documents and, if necessary, move to a competitive procurement if cumulative phases exceed $50,000. The next steps include obtaining sealed plans and MEP documentation for larger‑scale work.