After two no-bid solicitations on PLA pilot, board moves to award Bracker Elementary contracts and convene trades council talks

Trustees and district staff spent substantial time discussing the district’s pilot Project Labor Agreement (PLA) after two bid packages for a pilot project yielded no bids. Trustee Kathy Watanabe and others said rebids and bid absence could delay projects and increase costs. Trustee Michelle Ryan and others said they had opposed parts of the PLA when it was adopted and regretted not adding clauses to protect the district when bid response was low.

District staff (identified as Mr. Scheel) told the board the negotiated PLA includes a follow-up process: staff will meet with the building and trades council to pursue good-faith efforts to secure qualified contractors and, if agreed, could rebid outside the PLA if no bids result after those steps. "There is an opportunity through that collaboration process ... to go ahead and rebid it outside and take the PLA provision off of it," staff said, describing the contract's escalation process.

Following the discussion, Trustee Jody Muirhead moved to award multiple contracts for the Bracker Elementary School modernization increment (Group 2) to multiple companies paid from Fund 25; the motion was seconded and passed by a roll-call vote of 7 to 0. The board also approved several consent items and a classified school employee summer assistance program in subsequent votes.

Community members who raised concerns about PLAs earlier in the meeting (during public comment) were invited to follow up with district staff; the district said it would provide updates after meetings with the building trades council and, if necessary, return to the board with options.