Randolph County Schools board approves low bid for technical center sprinkler work

The Randolph County Schools Board voted unanimously to approve contracts for sprinkler and safety work at the district technical center, moving forward with the recommended low bidder.

The chair opened the item and a motion to approve minutes, agreements and contracts was made and seconded; following discussion the board approved the item by voice vote. The superintendent described the procurement results and recommended awarding the work to the lowest responsible bidder to install sprinkler systems and other safety measures at the technical center.

"We were recommending to move forward with the lowest bidder in this case, Wolf Creek Contracting," the superintendent said, noting one bid — recorded in the packet at $720,453 — came in about $120,000 under the budgeted projection. A staff member identified in the meeting as Mr. Smith said the project is funded through an SBA grant and that the county set aside a $100,000 match for the work. "That money has already been set aside," Mr. Smith said.

Board members asked about schedule and disruptions to summer programs. Staff said preliminary work is expected to begin after students leave for the summer and that, depending on final scope, the majority of work should be completed before classes resume.

The transcript contains an unclear statement about the precise federal reimbursement amount; staff described an invoice/reimbursement process tied to project invoicing but did not state a confirmed reimbursement cap in the meeting. The superintendent and staff affirmed the procurement recommendation would allow the district to proceed while staying under budget where possible.

Next steps include finalizing the contract award and beginning contractor mobilization over the summer; the board will see related purchase approvals and contract documents as required at future meetings.