Board awards electrical contract for Justin Garza VPA building; bid increases project hard costs

The Century Unified School District Board of Trustees on July 22 approved the electrical and low-voltage bid package (Bid Package No. 11) for the visual and performing arts building at Justin Garza High School, awarding the work to Diane Dynamic Electrical Contracting and Controls Inc., the administration’s recommended lowest responsible bidder.

Director Rodriguez presented the bid tabulations and noted the recommended award to Diane Dynamic. Trustee Kerfon asked whether the district had worked with the contractor previously; Rodriguez said the vendor had worked on prior district projects and that the work had been satisfactory with no claims and no excessive change orders.

When asked about the effect of the award on the overall project budget, staff said the package increases the project by “8,125,000 and $257” (as reported to the board) and that, when combined with the previously awarded bid package 1, the hard construction cost for the project is “a little over 73,000,000.” The district clarified these figures refer to hard construction costs only and do not include soft costs. The board approved the bid award by motion from Trustee Kirk, seconded by Trustee Kerfon, recorded as carried 6-0.

Trustees asked about other bidders whose proposals were not qualified; staff reported “a couple handful” of disqualified bids and that the district would continue to monitor costs closely. The administration said it would “count every penny” and monitor the project budget as construction proceeds.

The board approved the bid award 6-0; staff did not present a revised, detailed budget breakdown beyond the hard-construction figures at the July 22 meeting. Questions about total project scope, soft costs and contingency levels were not resolved in the public meeting record.