HCISD construction updates: bids received for roof, gym chiller conversions and mini‑stadium lighting

Facilities staff told the Facilities and Safety Committee that several construction maintenance projects will be recommended to the board after bid ranking and designer verification.

Why it matters: the district said these are time‑sensitive maintenance projects — from water‑intrusion flashing to gym HVAC and athletic lighting — that safeguard building envelopes and make facilities ready for upcoming school activities.

Key projects and procurement steps: the presentation identified four immediate items staff expect to bring to the board for award or authorization: - Kano Academy flashing and wall panel work: the district solicited bids to improve the building envelope near a gym area to prevent water intrusion and protect the wood gym floor. Staff said the budget for this work was $285,000 and four bidders responded; staff reported a low bid of $123,500 and said the designer will verify the low bid before recommendation. - Harlingen High School South gym HVAC/chiller conversion: staff presented a project to convert two existing units to air‑cooled equipment tied into a chiller system; the stated project budget was $675,000 and four bids were received, with the lowest responsible bid under consideration pending checks. - Mini‑stadium lights (high school auxiliary fields): district staff said 22‑year‑old fluorescent light assemblies are failing and recommended replacing them with LED fixtures for longer life and energy savings. The estimated project cost for two mini‑stadiums was presented at approximately $575,000; staff emphasized an April procurement to allow lead time before football season. - RFQ for engineering and testing services: the district opened a request for qualifications for MEP, civil and geotechnical/materials testing engineers. Staff reported multiple proposals and said the intent is to rank and recommend top firms (first, second, third choices) for multi‑year lists.

Budget status and TRE funds: construction finance staff presented a construction‑funds update dated 03/31/2025 showing a newly added maintenance tax note line item with no encumbrances yet, existing encumbrances and payments in other TRE and donor lines, and a roughly $2.7 million remaining balance in TRE (district gave specific ledger numbers in the packet). Staff said those figures will be updated as contracts are awarded.

Procurement safeguards: committee members pressed staff on low bids and checks to avoid “getting burned” by errors; staff explained the process: designers and ranking committees will contact low bidders to confirm scope and errors, and bid bonds (typically 5%) would apply if a bidder withdraws after award.

Next steps: staff said formal recommendations and contract awards for the projects will appear on the next board agenda; RFQ rankings for engineering selections and a preliminary TRE budget for the coming year will also be presented to the full board.

Ending: committee members thanked facilities and finance staff for advancing maintenance priorities and for the planned checks and balances on contractors and designers before formal awards.