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District weighs temporary chiller rentals and $64,000 CHA design fee as long-term solution needed
Summary
Officials reviewed multiple rental quotes for a temporary chiller at McNichols Plaza ahead of cooling season and debated whether to hire CHA for permanent-design work or procure directly to save design fees.
District operations staff presented rental quotes and discussed options for a longer-term chiller replacement, telling the board the current short-term rental at McNichols Plaza ended in November and the district needs temporary cooling for the coming season.
Staff reported three pricing leads: Scranton Electric’s quote of $19,100 per month for an eight-month rental that includes a not-to-exceed $7,500 demobilization fee (a total of roughly $83,900 for eight months), a cooperative quote from Carrier Rental that covered rental-only at approximately $76,004.76, and informal Trane pricing estimated around $10,000 per month. Staff said Carrier’s rental quote did not include hookups or mobilization and that those additional costs would likely make Carrier’s total higher than Scranton Electric’s all-in quote.
Board members discussed two procurement paths for a permanent replacement: (1) authorize CHA to perform design and bidding services, with a quoted design fee the board discussed at roughly $64,000 plus about $1,000 for legal review; or (2) advertise a specification keyed to a known chiller model and solicit turnkey contractor bids to avoid the owner’s-rep design fee. One director urged pursuing direct procurement to save the owner’s-rep fee if the district could prepare a clear specification.
Staff said they would most likely present a rental quote from Scranton Electric for an eight-month term to cover the immediate need and asked whether the board preferred CHA-led design for a permanent replacement or a district-led procurement. No formal vote was recorded in the transcript; directors suggested the issue be further discussed by the operations committee and returned with recommendations.
The discussion matters because the district must secure temporary cooling before warmer months and decide on a procurement path for a permanent chiller replacement that could carry significant capital and design costs.
Next steps included staff returning with a recommended rental contract for immediate use and a proposed procurement plan for permanent replacement, with additional follow-up to explore whether vendors would offer lease-to-own options and to determine installation and removal charges.
