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Trustees approve engineering contract and question professional fee separation on multi‑site HVAC project
Summary
The board approved contracting EMA Engineering for planning and specifications for a multi‑site HVAC/AC replacement project after staff explained statutory design requirements, scoring criteria and logistical complexity; trustees asked for clearer breakdowns of the professional fee versus total project cost and raised concerns about compressed timelines and contractor experience.
Administration presented a recommendation to contract EMA Engineering to develop plans, blueprints and bidding specifications for a major HVAC/air‑conditioning project covering multiple campuses. Staff said state law requires professional engineering design for projects above a statutory threshold and described the procurement process that scored bidders on price, experience, warranties and references.
Trustees asked why the professional engineering fee was separated from the total construction cost and requested a clearer fee breakdown; staff said the professional fee covers labor to prepare plans/specs and support procurement and that the full construction contract amounts discussed in the presentation ranged in the millions (an example low bid and a higher recommended bidder were discussed, with figures in the $7–8 million range for construction). Trustees also raised logistical concerns about executing large multi‑site replacements on a two‑month schedule, noting summer‑school and building‑energizing constraints; administration explained the need for large crews, cranes and coordination.
Board members voted to approve the procurement recommendation while asking staff to provide detailed bid tabs, professional fee figures, and clearer documentation of the scoring rubric and references for contractor due diligence.
