Demolition Program Could Top $10M in Brick

Brick officials have not yet awarded a contract for a firm to handle its Private Property Debris Removal program since the state has put extra requirements on the township due to the potential size of its bid.

Brick will be one of the largest municipalities to participate in the program, which will award a township-wide contract to demolish destroyed homes and clear debris from private property left by Superstorm Sandy.

The program, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is subject to a plethora of restrictions, and requires on-site visits by FEMA personnel to ensure each property qualifies.

Under the program, the township will foot the bill for its residents' properties to be cleared, then be reimbursed 75 percent by FEMA and 25 percent by homeowners' insurance policies. However the township will bear the cost of the remaining 25 percent in the case a homeowner did not have insurance.

Brick's total cost, before reimbursements, for the project may exceed $10 million, officials said. That figure triggers a special requirement for Brick to have its bids approved by the state, which has delayed the program's implementation.

Mantoloking Borough awarded its PPDR contract earlier this month, though its contract was for just $1.6 million.

Brick received a 134 page-long document of its bid requirements, said Juan Bellu, Deputy Business Administrator, though the additional paperwork should not mean the project will have to be re-bid.

"We put the wording in there that they had to meet whatever regulations came from the state," said Bellu, of bidders.

Brick will hold a pre-bid meeting on Friday with potential bidders, said township engineer Elissa Commins. The bids will be due back "at least 10 days" after that meeting, she said.

Then, the township council will have to award the bid.