WATERLOO -- Hauptly Construction of Waterloo and Matt Construction of Sumner both provided Black Hawk County with better-than-expected bids for a new secondary roads maintenance garage.

In fact, they provided the exact same bid.

The county Board of Supervisors received nine proposals Tuesday from construction companies interested in building the new maintenance garage on the northwest corner of the Elk Run and Dunkerton roads intersection, which County Engineer Richard King has estimated to cost $285,000.

Hauptly and Matt Construction were the apparent low bidders, both proposing $237,000. Both companies also included a unit price of $18 for each cubic yard of fill dirt required beyond the contract estimate.

The board made no decision on awarding a contract. While the County Engineer's Office is reviewing the bids for accuracy, the Board of Supervisors may need to look at factors other than price when choosing the successful bidder from what looks to be a dead heat.

"One of the factors could be which one's local," said Assistant County Attorney Peter Burk.

Board members voted 4-1 in April to approve the new road maintenance garage, which will replace two crumbling buildings used to store county equipment in Dunkerton and Dewar. Supervisor Scott Jordan had voted against the measure in April, objecting to the use of general obligation bonds, which are repaid with property taxes, to finance the work.

The proposed garage will be similar to the secondary roads garage in La Porte City.

Board members are expected to award the contract at next week's board meeting.

Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.