After awarding only a small number of contracts to area companies Tuesday for a new public safety complex, Will County officials said they want to step up efforts to hire local workers for other projects.

They said they even would be willing to change the procurement ordinance — if possible — to give preferences to local contractors.

The county just broke ground on a $32 million public safety complex, and is planning a $195 million courthouse and a new health department facility.

But of the 11 bids awarded Tuesday in the final bid package, just two were Will County companies, said David Tzak, deputy chief of staff for County Executive Larry Walsh, who is overseeing the building projects.

About half of the value of the contracts awarded in the first two bid packages for the public safety complex — 14 of 28 trades representing the bulk of the work — were from firms headquartered in Will County, he said.

County officials said at the outset of this building campaign that they wanted to emphasize hiring Will County contractors and workers. The issue resurfaced recently, when the committee held off approving a $2.4 million bid for heating, ventilation and air conditioning from FE Moran of Northbrook, to see if they could award it to Air Quality, a New Lenox company whose bid came in second at $2.5 million.

Assistant State's Attorney Mary Tatro said the county is obligated to award the contract to the lowest, responsible bidder, which was FE Moran.

Committee member Denise Winfrey, D-Joliet, asked the contractor to hire from the local union halls.

She also suggested that the county's procurement ordinance could be changed to redefine “responsible” bidder as one who is willing to hire local residents, “because they are paying for the building.”

Any ordinance changes would not impact the public safety complex but would need to be decided soon for the courthouse project. The committee also wants to seek requests for qualifications for a firm to design the new health department building.

Board speaker Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort Township, said he has “always been supportive” of local labor and “always pushed for Will County to get its share of the pie.” But he said defining “local” is complex — is it a local labor union or a resident?

The county has made an effort to hire local, but Moustis said he is “disappointed” they did not get better results.

Committee member Ray Tuminello suggested that the ordinance could be changed to award a bid to a local contractor if its price was within 1 or 2 percent of the lowest bid.

But Moustis said such preferential treatment would “totally undermine the bidding process” and discourage competitive bids.

“No outsiders would bid, and the prices could be higher,” he said.

Will County “has a proven track record” of hiring locally, but “we can always do better,” said committee chairwoman Ragan Freitag, R-Wilmington.

Committee member Mike Fricilone, R-Homer Glen, said they need to track how much work goes to local contractors.

Officials said they will discuss at future meetings whether they should make any ordinance changes or other changes to attract local contractors.

slafferty@tribpub.com