San Felipe del Rio CISD awards $1.33 million chiller replacement contract, shifts fund balance to cover project

The San Felipe del Rio CISD Board of Trustees authorized a contract with Schneider Electric on Sept. 15 for the removal and replacement of two original chillers at Del Rio Middle School at a not-to-exceed cost of $1,334,852. District staff said the existing chillers are approximately 23 years old and one had been out of service for several months. To fund the project the board approved a modification of the 2025-26 general fund balance commitments: $484,250 was reallocated from a stadium-lighting project that came in under budget, and the administration committed the remaining $850,602 from the general fund balance. Administration said Schneider's work will include new chillers (Daikin), piping retrofit, BACnet integration to building controls, and electrical upgrades, with a five-year service guarantee through the contractor's subcontract arrangement. Staff estimated a lead time of two to three months for delivery and said installation would be scheduled to avoid disrupting school operations, with a target during Thanksgiving or winter break if the equipment is available. The motion to approve the contract and the fund-balance modification passed unanimously.