It's normal for people to attend a pre-bid meeting and then decide not to bid. With a re-bid, those who decided not to bid the first time aren't likely to bid the second time and wouldn't go to the pre-bid meeting. Probably has more to do with that then the smaller scope of work.

A reader alerts us to this:

http://www.theworldforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2655

If it wasn't for the animal lover and Peta types the city could have declared open season on the ducks long ago. There are a lot of folks that would have loved roast duck. No more poo.

While you have been monitoring the potential expense of rectifying duck excrement in the lap of lumpenbourgeois luxury, the Gang of Five + One has been responding favorably to extortion by a German company that doesn't want to be restrained from further contributing to the industrial spoil region for which we are all taxed with every water bill:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/siliconforest/2010/06/portland_siltronic_reach_deal.html

The Council has declared that an emergency exists so passage tomorrow means immediate effect.

Notice that a bad penny has again turned up, aspiringly:

"Amy Ruiz, planning and sustainability adviser to Mayor Sam Adams, said the city is satisfied with the protections in the agreement. Ruiz said she doesn't know whether Siltronic has any imminent expansion plans, but that development remains a priority.

'It's certainly still an aspiration,' she said."

Siltronic has been playing this position for years, getting favorable water rates and now environmental benefits. Expansion will take place in Singapore if it's going to happen.

Insider,

Assuming you are a PWB customer, you and Siltronic pay the same amount in the base ($24.79 per month) and volume charges ($2.733 per 100 cubic feet).

See: http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=29415&a=303122

David Shaff, Administrator
Portland Water Bureau

Sure... you and Leonard were just as transparent with your budget for Oregonian property buyout as you are with commercial rates.