LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish began advertising for bids this week in anticipation of constructing a multi-million dollar Eastbank Government Complex in LaPlace.

The bid will be out for advertisement through April 27, Parish Communications Director Baileigh Rebowe Helm said.

A pre-bid meeting is planned at 10 a.m. April 29 that is mandatory for all bidders and provides them an opportunity to ask questions about the project.

Bids have to be submitted by 2:45 p.m. May 10 to be considered.

After the project is awarded and approved by Parish Council members, according to Helm, a pre-construction meeting with the contractor would take place and construction scheduled to start within 90 days.

The Parish announced early last month that expanded offices for St. John the Baptist Parish Council members and a larger reception area caused redesigns to the project, pushing the bid process back to this week.

Helm said Parish Council members made a few changes to their offices, and parish administrators realized the space needed to be expanded for the reception area.

The lowest bidder must get final approval by the Parish Council following the bid process and the Administration’s recommendation.

The Parish Council authorized the Administration to solicit bids for construction of the Eastbank Government Complex Feb. 9. The new complex will be located in front of the current government building at 1801 W. Airline Hwy in LaPlace and house the registrar of voters, planning and zoning, code enforcement, clerk of court, utility billing and water bills and finance departments.

Parish leaders tout the new complex will hold a state-of-the-art Council chamber that can seat more than 100 people with enhanced sound, camera and voting systems.

Laverne Saulny, Parish chief administrative officer, previously said the complex consolidates all of the parish’s government offices under one roof.

“We are going to have this beautiful state-of-the art building,” she said last month.

“We are going to be extremely accessible to our citizens, and it’s really going to have a major impact in the parish.”