Board approves concrete work bids; Lakeland High and Middle included in base bid amid wide bid variances

The Lakeland District School Board approved awarding the bid package for campus concrete repairs and replacements, including a base bid that covers Lakeland High School and Lakeland Middle School and multiple alternates for other schools.

District staff said the base bid included the two Lakeland schools because they required the most work; alternates allowed the district to add other campuses if budgets permitted. Administrators noted they received six responsive bids this solicitation cycle — a stronger response than previous attempts — and worked with Architects West and the facilities director to produce detailed specifications. The administration told the board that early informal quotes received last fall were over $1 million per school, but the RFP process and more precise specs brought bids down to levels the district believes are reasonable.

Board members expressed concern about large variances in alternate line items (for example, one Apple Elementary alternate was nearly $30,000 cheaper with one vendor) and asked staff to attach the RFP and bid specifications to the meeting record so trustees could review the exact scope and addendum responses. Administrators explained such variances can reflect contractor tactics (discounting a desirable site) and unknown conditions beneath existing slabs that may lead to change orders; staff said contingencies are included and the current budget set aside (~$615,000) should cover expected contingencies.

Ending: The board approved the contract and asked staff to provide full RFP documents and bid tabulations; staff said work on all awarded alternates could be completed simultaneously if the chosen contractor can schedule them.