The Board of Education approved a rebid and award for HVAC and electrical work at Kavanaugh Elementary after staff withdrew the previous award because of financial concerns about the original bidder.

Facilities staff explained that the district originally received only one bid on Dec. 10 and initially moved to award that contract, but subsequent review of the bidder’s financial records raised concern about the company’s viability. The district’s construction manager (Chrisman Construction) and sinking-fund representative (Todd Coe) recommended rebidding to mitigate the risk that work would be left incomplete if a contractor failed financially.

“After having this discussion with Chrisman Construction and amongst ourselves as a team, we decided not to move forward with the original bidder and rebid the work,” Christina (facilities staff) told the board. The rebid produced a responsive, qualified contractor the district has used previously and whose financial standing raised no similar concerns, she said.

Trustees asked how responsiveness is judged in bids; staff said responsiveness covers whether a bidder meets specification, can provide required staffing and materials and offers any acceptable alternates. The motion to accept the Kavanaugh HVAC/electrical rebid passed on a voice vote.

Ending: Staff will proceed with the contracted work over the summer to complete air-conditioning installation at Kavanaugh Elementary and will monitor project delivery under the district’s construction management oversight.