The Saline County Commission unanimously approved a $638,414 contract to RMA Engineering for the 2025 Reinforced Concrete Box (RCB) construction project during Tuesday's regular meeting.
County Engineer Justin Mader presented the bid recommendation, explaining that his office opened bids for the project on July 29, 2025, with RMA Engineering submitting the lowest of three proposals.
The project encompasses six construction sites scattered throughout Saline County, each involving the replacement of existing drainage structures with minimal grading and road work.
"Each project replaces an existing drainage structure with kind of minimal grading and road work. We're really not trying to make a whole lot of changes except for putting in a replacement for any existing drainage structure that's there," Mader told commissioners.
Mader noted that RMA Engineering is a design consulting firm that recently started a construction division. Their construction crew is currently building their first RCB projects in Clay County, which factored into the timing of the contract award.
"I wanted to make sure that those projects are going well," Mader said. "I have been in contact with the Clay County highway administrator and he noted that the projects are going well. It's a little slow, but I also don't think that he was considering all the rain we've had."
The contract includes specifications for 55 working days assigned to each site, with $200 in liquidated damages to be charged daily if projects exceed the allotted timeframe. Working days begin when a road is closed to traffic and end when it reopens, with weather delays not counting against the contractor.
Funding for the $638,414.22 project will come from the county's special bridge construction account, which Mader reported has a current balance of $1,000,751.
The commission approved the bid award through RFA 2025-138 without additional discussion.
