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Board of Education approves $4.93 million contract for alternative school building
Summary
The Board of Education voted to award a $4,932,000 single-prime contract to TF Powers for the district's alternative school building after staff and the architect recommended accepting the low bid; the board also discussed timeline clauses, liquidated damages and soil-testing contingencies.
The Board of Education voted to award a $4,932,000 single-prime contract to TF Powers for the district's alternative school building project after the architect and the construction committee recommended accepting the low bid.
The recommendation, presented at the meeting by the Chair, followed a bid opening on Aug. 21, 2025. The Chair said the single-prime bid "came in at 4,932,000," and noted that the architect and electrical engineer reviewed the submissions and judged the low electrical line item acceptable despite initial concerns that the electrical amount looked low at $577,000.
The award represents a substantial difference from earlier cost expectations. "The actual projection with everything and which included a contingency was about 8,300,000," the Chair said, adding that staff had anticipated a bid "somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 and a half million." The board recorded affirmative roll-call votes from Scottie, Doctor Wanda, Carrie, Eric, Prince, Dave and Anne.
Board members asked about the project schedule and contractual protections. A board member asked whether the contract includes a timeline; the Chair replied that the timeline and liquidated-damages provisions "will be in the contract agreement," and that the agreement will set amounts for damages if the contractor exceeds agreed deadlines.
Members also discussed site conditions and the risk of unforeseen soil work. A staff member explained the firm that did soil testing: "They have Braun. That's their soil testers," and said the firm had taken borings and blueprint information for the site. Board members referenced a prior bus garage project where borings missed a problem area and the district incurred about $100,000 in additional soil-removal costs; staff said this risk is one reason contingencies are included.
The meeting record shows the architect and the construction committee recommended accepting the single-prime bid; the board moved, seconded and approved the award. The board then moved to adjourn.
