Committee approves $4.16 million bus-facility award, multiple change orders and hires design firm

The Lafourche Parish School Board Land and Facilities Committee approved a recommendation to award the district's bus fleet facility contract and voted on multiple change orders and a design hire at its meeting.

Staff recommended awarding the bus yard contract to 4A Contracting Group LLC with a base bid of $3,130,000, Alternate 1 for two additional service bays ($617,000) and Alternate 2 (parking/drive adjustments) for $117,000, and to reject Alternate 3. The recommendation included design fees of $291,996.52 for a total project amount of $4,155,996.52. Daniel Bruce, who presented the bids, said the board received 10 bidders and that the recommended package keeps the project within the intended scope while adding functional shop bays. The motion (moved by Mister Titus; seconded by Mister Wright) passed by voice vote.

Chair (speaker 2) summarized the motion and noted the acceptance was by voice vote. "We have voice vote, please. All in favor, say aye," the Chair said; committee members responded and the motion carried.

The committee also approved change orders tied to Hurricane Ida repairs at multiple campuses. The Saint Charles Elementary classroom addition received an 18-day contract extension for adverse weather and cold-weather masonry delays; staff explained the extension reflected documented freeze days and a week of snow that halted block laying. Smaller change orders were accepted for canopy and concrete remediation at Lockport Elementary ($5,924.78) and for additional saw cutting at Centimeters Washington Elementary ($13,818.38), both described by staff as unforeseen site conditions requiring demo and sawing of existing concrete.

The committee approved acceptance of a low bid from The Loop, Inc. for Hurricane Ida repairs at Galliana Elementary annex (base bid $229,900; Alternate 1 $41,500; design fees $31,153; total $302,553) and accepted Edward G. Lacquer Root Metal Works' low bid for Bayou Blue Middle School gym repairs (base bid $285,297; Alternate 1 $7,899; design fees $45,698; total $338,894). Those motions passed by voice votes after staff explained alternates and scope.

Separately, the committee voted to hire Planis Design Group for the Central Lafourche High School auxiliary gym repair project with an order-of-probable-cost (OPC) estimate of $553,444 to evaluate rot along an auxiliary gym wall, replace the roof if needed, and prepare design documents. "This number is worst-case," a staff presenter said; the motion (moved by Mister Titus; seconded by Mister Wright) passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: the bus-facility award and the design hire together move multiple capital projects into procurement and design phases, commit roughly $4.16 million in construction plus additional program expenditures, and signal the district's push to close out Hurricane Ida repairs.

Votes at a glance - Saint Charles Elementary classroom addition: change order adding 18 days for adverse weather — motion approved by voice vote (mover: Mister Wright; seconder: Miss Fethito). - Bus fleet facility award: recommended to 4A Contracting Group LLC; total $4,155,996.52 (base + alternates + design fees) — motion approved by voice vote (mover: Mister Titus; seconder: Mister Wright). - Lockport Elementary canopy change order: $5,924.78 — approved by voice vote. - Centimeters Washington Elementary canopy change order: $13,818.38 — approved by voice vote. - Galliana Elementary annex repairs: total $302,553 — approved by voice vote (mover: Mister Wright; seconder: Miss Fakita). - Bayou Blue Middle School gym repairs: total $338,894 — approved by voice vote. - Hire Planis Design Group for Central Lafourche auxiliary gym (OPC $553,444) — approved by voice vote (mover: Mister Titus; seconder: Mister Wright).

The committee chair said staff will continue coordination for bid administration, and several projects will move to notice-to-proceed once procurement and FEMA approvals (where applicable) are complete.