Board approves $716,500 contract to replace Murphy rooftop unit and Round Lake Middle boilers

The Round Lake Area Board of Education voted Nov. 17 to award a $716,500 contract to MG Mechanical Contracting Inc. for HVAC work that includes replacing a failed rooftop unit at Murphy Elementary and replacing boilers at Round Lake Middle School.

District operations staff presented the bid results, saying six vendors submitted proposals. The lowest responsive base bid was $618,600; with alternates for diffusers and the second boiler the administration requested approval of a total award of $716,500. The district intends to fund the work with emergency life-safety funds and available district capital funds.

Officials told the board the rooftop unit is custom-built and has about a 15-week manufacturing lead time, so the work cannot reasonably be completed during a short school break; administration recommended scheduling construction in summer 2026. Staff acknowledged contingency needs: temporary heating may be required if equipment failure forces an out-of-season shutdown. The project includes allowances ($25,000 general; $20,000 structural) to address unforeseen conditions; engineers expect most of the general allowance to be recoverable.

Board members asked about durability and whether the replacement strategy should include paired boiler replacements for redundancy; staff replied replacing both boilers at once is a cost-effective solution given the age and condition of existing equipment. The motion to award the contract passed on a roll-call vote.

What happens next The contract will be finalized with MG Mechanical and administration will schedule construction for summer 2026. If structural issues arise the board was told an allowance may be used and documentation will be shared.