The Bucks County Board of Commissioners, to better ensure the quality of the construction work the county contracts, has modified the standards under which contractors’ skills are considered. Peg Quann reported this raised experience/education floor for the Bucks County Courier Times.

The commissioners voted unanimously to amend the county’s Responsible Contractor Ordinance, the March 2020 yardstick used to assess contractors seeking work on county building projects.

The latest revision seeks to “increase the percentage of skilled craft personnel who have the necessary training and skills needed for public works projects and to provide additional protections for the benefit of the County and its residents.”

The ordinance now calls for a Contractor Responsibility Certification that includes evidence of:

• Valid licenses and other credentials
• Bonding requirements
• A three-year corporate record absent of legal issues, defaults, and licensure revocations
• A ten-year record of no business-related criminal records for its principals
• Participation in a state-licensed apprenticeship program
• Safety training recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

The tighter scrutiny is intended to ensure that the county’s “lowest responsible bid” provisions don’t affect the overall quality of work done.

Among upcoming projects expected to benefit from the change is the renovation associated with the Middletown site of the new African American Museum of Bucks County.

More on this new screening of contractor skills is at the Bucks County Courier Times.