The second batch of bids for the long-awaited renovation of the Northern Lehigh Food Bank are on the way.

The Washington Township board of supervisors will accept the proposals for Phase I and II to the existing food bank until 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.At that time, the bids will be opened, according to Supervisors Chairman Abe Ahner. However, Ahner said no contract will be awarded at that time because the bids must first be sent to Lehigh County for review.The project is expected to double the size of the facility, as it would be increased by another 1,200-1,400 square feet. As part of the project, a receiving door would be received for delivery, a concrete wall, wall insulation, a heating system with a heat pump, and a new electrical panel inside the building would all be installed. The project would also wire the building for a cooler and a freezer.A bid award for the project had been delayed after the township received an additional $40,000 Community Development Block Grant. Previously, the township has also received $40,000 in CDBG funds that were administered by the county for the project.As a result, supervisors agreed earlier this month to reject bids that were submitted to the township last month for the project. At that time, the township received bids from four companies to do the project.Based on those bids, Rex Homes, of Slatington, was the apparent low bidder at $39,995. That proposal was $27,749 less than the next lowest bid of $67,744 from A.P. Houser of Emmaus.Since the early-1990s, the food bank has operated from out of the former township municipal building, located at 7884 Center St., Emerald, as part of a 10-year lease agreement with the townshipThe food bank is under the sponsorship of the Northern Lehigh Pastoral Association, which is composed of 14 churches that help support the food bank, as well as other outside churches.The food bank distributes baskets to needy families in Northern Lehigh and surrounding communities on the first, second and third Thursday of each month, as well as the last Saturday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to noon.