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Flossmoor SD 161 board reviews $8.6 million in summer construction bids, accepts alternates
Summary
District staff told the board that summer work across Parker Junior High and elementary sites is coming in at about $8.6 million including allowances and contingency; staff said alternates were used to prioritize work, asbestos abatement and airtightness testing remain as separate contracts, and the district expects some cost overruns versus estimates.
Flossmoor School District 161 trustees on Jan. 29 reviewed detailed summer construction bids for Parker Junior High and several elementary schools and were told the total package, including allowances and contingency, is coming in at about $8,600,000.
District facilities staff presented the scope for Parker — HVAC upgrades, a vestibule and office refresh, nurse's office reconfiguration, bathroom and classroom updates, new carpet and furniture in the media center, ceiling and LED lighting replacements and painting — and described related work at Western Avenue, Flossmoor Hills and Normandy Villa. The presentation broke the work into multiple subcontract packages: a demo package with three bidders ($506,000), a carpentry/general trades award to Pepper Construction ($809,000), flooring to Douglas Flooring (base plus a $52,000 alternate), and a low HVAC bid from Oakbrook Mechanical (about $1.7 million). Staff said some alternates (for example, epoxy bathroom flooring and concrete pathways at Parker) were bid so the district could choose which additions to accept based on final pricing.
"Total cross including allowances, contingency, etcetera, is coming in at $8,600,000 for this summer's work," a facilities presenter told the board. Staff also described a separate airtightness test the district will contract with ECS to run before and after envelope work to provide apples-to-apples results, and an asbestos-management contract for design and abatement oversight (professional fees were described as a not-to-exceed amount to be presented as a separate contract).
Board members pressed staff on wide bid differentials for some trades and on how alternates affect the final numbers. Staff and the district's estimator said they performed a line-by-line scope review to reconcile differences, and noted market pressures — particularly for electrical contractors — can drive higher or more variable bids. The presenter said the district had negotiated closely with contractors and that preconstruction estimates and contingencies reduced the need to cut many alternates.
Staff warned trustees the full multi-year program may end up $2 million to $3 million above initial estimates as the district closes out earlier projects and adds unanticipated scope. Staff said they will return with a detailed funding plan showing how bonds, contingency and leftover funds will be applied.
Next steps: staff will present final contract awards and the separate contracts for airtightness testing and asbestos abatement to the board for action when details are ready.
