Kootenai County commissioners approve Global line for Justice Center desks, contingent on tariff letter

Kootenai County commissioners approved purchase of the Global Furnishings product line for desks at the county’s Justice Building at a special Building & Grounds meeting on March 6, 2025, voting 3-0 to proceed provided a vendor letter holding tariff terms is upheld.

The vote covers a procurement of 65 desk units and—based on staff estimates discussed in the meeting—represents a roughly $19,000 difference between the higher- and lower-cost options presented. Director Jeff Fuller of Building and Grounds told commissioners that Contract Design, the county’s furniture consultant, priced multiple U.S.-based manufacturers and that Global Furnishings and HBC were the two primary contenders for desks. Fuller said Contract Design would complete a full-package price for the chosen line, including conference tables and judges’ chambers.

The decision followed a technical discussion of construction materials, warranties and field experience. Gwen Gunzel of Contract Design explained that the county’s selected commercial options generally use a thermally fused melamine surface over a particle-board substrate compressed to about 45 pounds per cubic foot, and that this is a common industry standard for commercial casework. Gunzel also described BIFMA testing and certification, saying the proposed lines are “BIFMA rated,” meaning the products have been tested for safety, durability and performance for commercial use.

Contractor David Mendez of Turner Townsend told commissioners that the county’s lead installer had reported a noticeable quality difference between HBC and Global in field installations. “There’s a definite difference in the quality,” Mendez said when asked about installer experience. Commissioners cited that installer feedback, longer warranty terms on some Global product lines and perceived durability as reasons to favor the higher-priced option.

Commissioner discussion touched on specific construction details: most manufacturers proposed 1-inch tops (Herman Miller was noted as 1-1/8 inches), edge banding methods vary (PVC or polypropylene vs. laser-applied banding), and hardware/assembly systems differ between manufacturers. Commissioners and staff discussed warranties: Global’s product lines were described as carrying a “limited lifetime” warranty for many items and 12-year coverage for some components; HBC’s warranty was described as more limited in parts (including a 5-year term cited for some items).

The board also reviewed chair options for the Justice Building. Staff brought task and conference chair samples from Global/Office2Go and a heavier-duty model (identified in the packet as a higher-rated chair). Commissioners agreed to narrow the selection for most users to two commonly used task-chair models (a blue higher-rated seat and a standard black task chair) and to hold samples on site for staff and users to try before finalizing the chair order. Staff said certain users (for example, staff needing higher weight ratings or accommodating utility belts) would be handled individually.

The motion recorded at the meeting stated the procurement approval was “provided that the letter holds up with the tariffs.” Fuller told the board that Global had not yet implemented tariffs on the proposed items and was offering a 30-day exemption in the event tariffs are applied; commissioners asked staff to finalize timing so a purchase order can be cut before any tariff change.

The board’s recorded vote was: Commissioner Eberline — aye; Commissioner Duncan — aye; Chair Metari — aye. The motion carried. Contract Design will proceed to finalize the full pricing and product list for the Global line for desks, and staff said they would prepare the purchase order and follow the vendor’s tariff assurance timeline before executing the order.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve Global product line for Justice Building desks, contingent on vendor tariff letter. Mover: Chair Metari. Second: recorded as "Second" in the meeting record (name not specified in the transcript). Vote: 3-0 (Eberline, Duncan, Metari). Outcome: approved.

What’s next

Contract Design will produce full-package pricing (desks, conference tables, judge chambers) for the Global line. Staff will prepare the purchase order and attempt to place the order within the vendor’s stated 30-day tariff exemption window. Chair and user selection for seating will continue with on-site trials and targeted accommodations for users who need higher-capacity or specialized chairs.