PORT ANGELES – Olympic Medical Center commissioners found themselves playing leapfrog – and losing – to high-hopping prices in their attempt to remodel OMC’s Eighth Street clinic.
The lone bid on the project Wednesday exceeded their ceiling for the project by $116,659, forcing them to reject it and search for a new solution.
A month ago, OMC had set an initial $780,000 limit on the work, but the lowest bid came in at $999,945.
So two weeks ago, commissioners raised the ceiling to $1,053,000 and advertised the project again.
The bid they opened Wednesday was for $1,116,583 from Aldergrove Construction of Port Angeles – nearly 12 percent above the previous bid.
OMC commissioners and administrators will meet to seek an answer to the situation that has put prices one jump ahead of them.
They may call a special meeting in about a week to announce their plans.
Assistant Administrator Jim Paapke blamed “extreme market conditions” for the bounding costs.
Construction workers are hard to find, he said.
Furthermore, subcontractors face paying overtime wages during the busy building season, and materials costs continue to rise.
