Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart is hopeful we will have a new regional library by the end of next year, despite another delay in the tender process.
With only one submission received to build the library at 123A Donnison St and demolish the building currently on site, Council rejected the tender at its March 28 meeting, deciding instead to negotiate with the one tenderer in an effort to lower the quote.
A report to the meeting said the contract’s evaluation team had completed an initial evaluation of the submission in accordance with the tender’s evaluation criteria.
“The team) has indicated that a successful outcome is most likely to be achieved through direct negotiation with one or all of the shortlisted proponents in lieu of a re-tender,” the report said.
In August 2021, Hart approved the use of a two-stage process, an Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by a selective Request for Tender (RFT), combining the demolition of the building on site and construction of the library.
Tenders closed on March 17.
“Council has evaluated submissions and identified departures and clarifications that present risk to Council and value management opportunities that must be investigated by Council to ensure best value for money is obtained for this contract,” the report said.
The library will be funded by a combination of developer contributions, a special levy collected from former Gosford Council, Federal Government Community Grants and internally restricted funds.
A total of $2,462,993 had been spent on the project to the end of February.
While the tender evaluation is confidential, Hart said the Council would now go through a process of value management.
“We will go through the pricing and eliminate some perceived risks … and hopefully lower the tender,” he said.
“I am still hopeful it will be built by the end of 2024.”
The regional library was originally to form part of a larger cultural precinct on a large parcel of land between Mann and Donnison Sts, which was also to have included a performing arts centre and linking walkways.
Amid fears of escalating project costs, Council decided in October 2019 to shelve plans for the cultural precinct and instead push ahead with plans for the regional library as a stand-alone project.
Terry Collins