Two contractors bid for Bronson dam project

By Anna Jauhola
The bidding closed Tuesday, May 21 for the Lake Bronson Dam project and the state of Minnesota received two bid packages.
Ames Construction of Burnsville, Minn., and Michels Construction Inc. of Brownsville, Wis., each submitted packages. Nearly 70 contractors held plans for the project before bidding ended last week, many of which were subcontractors.
Now the Minnesota Department of Administration has begun the scoring process, said Jason Boyle, state dam safety engineer.
“We just need one good bid. That’s really what we’re hoping for,” Boyle said.
The project bid award is based not only on cost, but the state’s scoring system because it is so massive and complicated, not to mention expensive at an estimated $25.6 million. It usually takes them a couple weeks to complete the scoring, which a team of people does by scouring each section of each proposal to compare the requested requirements with those proposed.
“Once the proposals are scored, then we will open up the actual monetary bids,” Boyle said. “They will be rating the scores with the cost.”
Once those two processes are complete, the state will award one of the two bids – “Assuming they come in near the engineer’s estimate,” Boyle added. The bid may not be awarded until the end of June or early July.
He said the state still anticipates construction to begin this year, but that can depend on the contractor’s schedule. Once the project is completely awarded, the state will go through the schedule and approve plans before the contractor can start work.
The plan is still for a late summer 2024 start for the project.
Those who frequent or plan to visit Lake Bronson State Park should still keep an eye on the park’s website – dnr.state.mn.us/ state_parks/lake_bronson – for alerts and notices. Currently, the park is only taking camping reservations through July 7 in the Lakeside and Lakeside Extension campgrounds, but Two Rivers Campground reservations will be available throughout the summer.
The site also has a link to more information about the dam project itself.
The park itself will remain open throughout construction, when it begins, with some areas restricted for safety reasons.