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District says HVAC upgrades at five schools could start this summer if contractor selection holds
Summary
Staff told the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that designs for HVAC upgrades at five schools are in DSA review, early procurement is under way, and a lease‑leaseback contractor recommendation is expected May 14 with a GMP to follow in June; members warned the timeline is tight and asked about schedule and tariff risks.
District and Van Pelt staff told the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that design packages for a set of HVAC upgrades have been submitted to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) and staff expect DSA’s next review within weeks.
Nick Olsen said the first four/five sites in the procurement queue include Adelante, Selby, Hoover, Roosevelt and Taft and that those designs are in for DSA review with first‑round comments returned. "We submitted in February. We got our first round of comments back from them… we'll resubmit addressing those comments this week," Olsen said.
To keep the condensed summer schedule, staff asked the board to approve a lease‑leaseback contractor selection at the May 14 board meeting and to approve a guaranteed maximum price at the first June meeting so construction can begin as soon as contracts are signed. Olsen said the lease‑leaseback delivery method allows some preconstruction work with a contractor before final DSA approval and contracting, the district’s chosen way to reduce schedule risk.
On cost and scope, staff described the work as "condensed timelines" and provided a ballpark: roughly $5,000,000 in hard construction costs per school for the initial sites, plus typical soft costs (design, inspections and fees) that can add about 25 percent. Contract contingencies will cover tariff and material volatility; staff said contractors will operate open‑book and must show receipts for contingency uses.
The district also reported interim measures: the board authorized early procurement of HVAC equipment and the district has taken delivery of 308 portable air units for short‑term cooling; staff said installations will continue over the summer as permanent work proceeds.
Why it matters: The HVAC upgrades address classroom comfort and are high‑priority capital work under Measure S. The committee stressed that if the board does not approve the recommended contractor on schedule, the projects could miss the summer construction window, creating schedule risk and potential escalation in cost.
Next steps: Contractor selection recommendation to the board (May 14) and GMP approval (first June meeting). Committee members asked staff to track schedule risk and to bring details on contingencies and verification of added costs for future reports.
