Birmingham Water Works secures $830,000 distribution restoration contract, confirms end of minority business tracking

Birmingham Water Works secures $830,000 distribution restoration contract, confirms end of minority business trackingThe board awarded a unit-price contract for landscape restoration following infrastructure repairs, highlighting significant cost savings alongside a contentious shift in the utility's procurement policies.

Landscapes Unlimited of Alabama secured the $830,605 contract to restore yards and greenery disrupted by distribution system work.

The new agreement represents a substantial discount from the more than $2 million the utility spent on equivalent services last year.

Utility staff confirmed the agency no longer tracks minority participation in its bids following the elimination of its Historic Underutilized Business policy.

The Birmingham Water Works Board has approved an $830,605 contract for landscape restoration services across its distribution system, securing major operational savings for the upcoming year. The one-year agreement, awarded to Landscapes Unlimited of Alabama on July 10, covers the replacement of trees, grass, and landscaping disrupted when utility crews tear up ground to access or repair water infrastructure. The contract runs from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027. During the meeting, board members commended utility staff for the unit prices achieved in the two-bidder procurement. A board member noted that the utility paid over $2 million for the same services last year, and staff confirmed the new contract represents a "substantial cost savings." However, the procurement discussion also highlighted a significant shift in the utility's contracting policies. When Director Patton repeatedly inquired about minority business participation in the landscape contract—as well as in separate IT and janitorial agreements—a staff member named Jeff confirmed the utility no longer tracks those metrics. "We do not inquire as to minority participation after the historic underutilized business policy was eliminated," the staff member stated. The formal end of the policy drew objections from Patton, reflecting broader procedural friction during a meeting where several votes, including the election of Tommy Hudson as the new board chair, were split. In other asset management business, the board approved the transfer of a recreational site agreement for a lot at Inland Lake. The updated lease establishes a new initial license fee of $2,500 with a 3% annual escalation, replacing an older, more complex rate structure tied to the Consumer Price Index.