KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene City Engineer Bryan Ruoff says a last-minute technical issue — not a lack of contractor interest — led to confusion over bidding for the city’s long-anticipated Main Street reconstruction project, prompting officials to reopen the process with a new May 8 deadline.

Speaking on the Open Mic program on WKBK with host Dan Mitchell, Ruoff explained that a contractor — identified during the show as Vermont-based Casella Construction — attempted to submit a bid through the city’s online procurement system shortly before the 2 p.m. deadline last Friday but was unable to upload the file in time.

Minutes after the cutoff, the contractor contacted city officials and emailed the bid. However, under Keene’s procurement rules, late submissions cannot be accepted or even formally acknowledged.

“They’re treated as if they never existed,” Ruoff said, noting that once he had seen the emailed bid, he recused himself from any decision-making. The determination to reject the late submission and reopen bidding was made by the city’s purchasing manager in consultation with the assistant city attorney.

Instead of restarting the process with a full 30-day window, the city opted for a shorter, roughly 10-day rebid period aimed at contractors already familiar with the project. Officials say the goal is to preserve fairness while avoiding further delays.

Ruoff said the issue may have stemmed from the size and complexity of the bid file, though no system errors were reported and no other contractors experienced similar problems. He encouraged bidders to submit materials well ahead of deadlines and confirm uploads in advance.

The re-bid has been publicly posted, shared with registered contractors, and distributed to local media. As of the interview, no new bids had been submitted, though Ruoff said it is typical for contractors to wait until the final day to submit proposals in order to account for fluctuating material and energy costs.

Despite the setback, Ruoff said the project timeline remains viable. If bids are received and awarded shortly after the May 8 deadline, construction could still begin this summer following a roughly six-week mobilization period.

The project carries a 900-day — approximately three-year — construction schedule. Contractors will be required to phase work in a way that limits repeated disruptions, including restoring any disturbed areas within the same construction season.

Unlike some past projects, the Main Street work includes defined phasing requirements, beginning near Central Square and progressing south, a strategy intended to improve predictability for businesses and residents.

The bid situation and next steps are expected to be reviewed at this evening’s meeting of the city’s Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, where officials will also outline how a contractor will ultimately be selected.

Ruoff also provided updates on several other ongoing infrastructure efforts across the city.

Listen to the full interview: