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Beatrice schools pick local firm for HVAC maintenance, board told it will save district money
Summary
After an RFP, the board authorized negotiations with Prairie Mechanical for HVAC preventative maintenance (mid/high school and admin), citing lower service-call fees, local technicians and faster response; administrators said total savings could be roughly $70,000 compared with the previous combined contract.
The Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education on July 8 authorized administrators to negotiate a preventative-maintenance contract with Prairie Mechanical for the 2024–25 school year and to continue working with Johnson Controls on the district's proprietary control system.
Jason said the district issued an RFP and received three bids (Prairie Mechanical, Facility Advocates and Johnson Controls). Prairie Mechanical, a local company with technicians in Beatrice, submitted the lowest-priced bid for preventative maintenance (the quoted ceiling used in the board motion was $82,000) and proposed a lower standard service-call fee ($110) than competitors who would travel from Lincoln or Omaha ($140–$150). Jason said Prairie quoted a typical response time of two hours and would allow the district to order parts directly, reducing markups on parts-and-labor work.
Jason said the previous contract through Johnson Controls for the 2023–24 term covering six buildings and the administration building cost approximately $188,000 (controls included). With the elementary building aside (under warranty for the coming year), combining preventative maintenance and controls for the coming year would be roughly $110,000, Jason said, and that selecting Prairie with negotiated terms could save the district about $70,000 compared with the prior arrangement.
Jason requested authorization "to negotiate the preventative maintenance program with Prairie Mechanical not to exceed the $82,000 quote" and to retain Johnson Controls for control-system work (Medisys) because the controls remain proprietary. The board approved the motion.
Why it matters: Facilities maintenance represents a recurring district expense with operational impacts should equipment fail. The board's decision emphasizes local vendors, lower service-call fees and faster response time as key drivers in vendor selection.
Next steps: Jason said he will finalize negotiations within the $82,000 limit and tailor the package as needed. The finalized contract will be executed per the negotiated terms. The board approved the motion during the action portion of the meeting.
