Pennridge facilities team recommends contractors for summer 2026 projects; roofing bids still pending
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Summary
ICS presented summer 2026 capital priorities and low bids for mechanical, generator and controls scopes; staff recommended Hirschberg for mechanical upgrades (low bid $777,000 plus $19,000 condensing‑boiler alternate), BSI for generators ($509,000, over the $437,000 budget line), and Southland for controls ($383,000). Roofing bids remained due.
ICS representatives told the Pennridge Facilities Committee that summer 2026 work will focus on keeping schools "warm, safe, dry" and presented bid outcomes for three of four scopes.
For mechanical upgrades (scope 1) the original budget was roughly $848,000; the low bid was Hirschberg at $777,000 with a $19,000 alternate to install a higher‑efficiency condensing boiler. ICS recommended proceeding with the Hirschberg low bid and considering the $19,000 condensing boiler alternate based on projected life‑cycle energy savings.
Generator replacements (scope 2) at Bedminster and West Rock Hill had an original budget line of $437,000; the low bid returned from BSI was $509,000, exceeding that line but ICS recommended BSI as the low bidder for the scope overall. Controls upgrades at Seiler Elementary (scope 4) came in under budget: a $490,000 budgeted amount with a low bid from Southland at $383,000. Roofing bids for Central Middle School were still outstanding at the time of the meeting because the contractor produced five alternates and asked for additional time to price them.
ICS asked the committee to send the recommended awards forward to the full school board; staff indicated the following schedule: committee review on Feb. 9, documentation of roofing bids as they arrive, and a targeted school‑board vote on Feb. 23, with substantial completion of the four scopes planned for August 2026.
Board members questioned the use of the CoStars/Department of General Services cooperative procurement vehicle. ICS explained CoStars is a state cooperative that allows the district to invite pre‑approved vendors and to negotiate scope and pricing while preserving a competitive process; members raised concerns that some CoStars vendors in other projects have returned higher prices, and staff said they select invited bidders based on prior successful work with the district and CoStars approval.
Facilities staff also justified generator replacements with run‑time totals and maintenance history, not age alone, and noted Central Middle has active roof leaks and documented prior recoating (original system 1997, recoated 2015); ICS said they completed core testing and would produce supporting documents.