THE SUMMER PAINTING PROJECT BIDS AT T-U SCHOOLS CONTESTED BY A CONTRACTOR

THE  OWNER  OF  BRUSH  STROKES  PAINTING  COMPANY   RYAN   GILL    TOOK  ISSUE  WITH  SUMMER    PAINTING  BIDS  AT  TUESDAY'S  MEETING  OF  THE  THOMASTON-UPSON  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION.  GILL  CHARGED  HE  HAD  THE  LOW  BID  OF   $114,000  COMPARED  WITH  MARTIE  MURPHY  CONTRACTING    $121,000  BUT  IT  WAS      OVER  BUDGET  SO  IT  WAS  RE-BID  AND  MURPHY  HAD  THE  LOW  BID  OF $76,000  COMPARED  WITH  GILL'S  BID  OF  $84,000.

GILL  SPOKE  TO  THE  BOARD AND  TO   101  NEWS  CONTESTING  THE  ISSUE. 

THOMASTON-UPSON COUNTY SCHOOLS

2026 Summer Painting Project Bid Process | July 15, 2026

Thomaston-Upson County Schools (TUCS) strives to maintain honest and fair business 

relationships when purchasing quality products and services through a competitive bidding 

process. In response to questions raised at the July 14, 2026, Board of Education meeting 

regarding the 2026 Summer Painting Project, the district offers the following explanation of the bid process and contract award.

In April 2026, TUCS issued an Invitation to Bid for the 2026 Summer Painting Project. Two bids were received. Martie Murphy Contracting submitted a bid of $121,225 for materials and labor and $110,225 for labor only. Brush Strokes submitted a bid of $114,193.28 for materials and labor and $93,063.29 for labor only.

Under Board of Education policy, all bids exceeding $100,000 must be approved by the Board. At the May 12, 2026, Board meeting, the Board voted to reject all bids because the project cost exceeded the available budget. The Board also approved issuing a new Invitation to Bid with a revised scope of work that requested a single combined price for materials and labor.

Please note that because the Invitation to Bid was conducted as a competitive sealed bid process, the Board did not negotiate with the apparent low bidder. In a sealed bid process, all bidders must be treated equally. Negotiating pricing with a single bidder after bids have been opened would undermine fair competition and compromise the integrity of the process, and the district is not permitted to do so.

A second Invitation to Bid was issued in May 2026, with bids due on June 16, 2026. Two bids were received. Brush Strokes submitted a bid of $84,972.38, and Martie Murphy Contracting submitted a bid of $79,800. Following the opening of the sealed bids, district personnel contacted both bidders to confirm their understanding of the project scope because of a significant difference between the bid amounts for a specific location. Both bidders confirmed that they understood the scope of work.

The district awarded the contract to Martie Murphy Contracting as the lowest responsive bidder at $79,800, with the understanding that no change orders will be accepted unless approved by the Superintendent. Because the awarded amount was less than $100,000, Board approval was not required under district policy.

The rebid process resulted in a savings of more than $34,000 compared to the lowest bid received in April. Thomaston-Upson County Schools remains committed to transparency, fair competition, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars in every purchasing decision.

Dr. Tret Witherspoon

Superintendent, Thomaston-Upson Schools

Media inquiries: David Eubanks, Director of Public Relations, 706-647-962