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Santa Rosa board approves transportation contract, construction change orders and routine administrative items
Summary
At its March 5 meeting the Santa Rosa County School Board approved a negotiated transportation management contract with STA (after vendor proposals showed large cost increases), multiple construction change orders and final payments, and administrative items including attorney contract renewal and financial amendments.
The Santa Rosa County School Board approved several procurement and project items March 5, including a negotiated contract award for transportation management and multiple construction and payment approvals.
After a competitive solicitation for transportation management services, district staff said four vendors responded and one vendor (STA) submitted an alternative pricing option that the evaluation committee found provided equivalent or improved service at the lowest cost presented. According to staff, initial proposals from vendors included price increases above 30 percent; negotiations reduced STA’s alternative pricing to a 25 percent contract increase. The board authorized staff to begin negotiations and award the three‑year contract with renewal options by motion, which carried unanimously.
The board also granted multiple construction approvals recommended by DAG Architects and staff: a change order for Soundside High School (change order #34: approximately $16,321 and a 187‑day time extension for traffic‑signal work), a TR Jackson pre‑K kitchen change order that extended time by 69 days and included a credit of about $182,166.74 for unused items, release of retainage up to $90,000 as final work is completed, and a request to release final payment to DAG for TR Jackson (up to $6,000). The board approved final construction payments for completed projects such as Laughlin Technical College Building 1 ($32,971) and accepted project status reports; most motions passed unanimously.
Other approved administrative items included allocating $17,000 of a Visa rebate to staff incentive/training and depositing the remainder to the general fund, declaring surplus property for disposition, renewing the school‑board attorney contract for five years, and approving January and December budget amendments and monthly financial statements. The board also received a clean audit opinion from the Auditor General for FY 2024‑25.
Staff noted several implementation details: (1) some change‑order amounts include credits and adjustments for unused line items and unforeseen electrical costs; (2) several projects were described as substantially complete with punch‑list items remaining; and (3) transportation contract negotiations reflected broader market pressure from vendors that cited operating losses under the prior contract.
Sources: Staff presentations and the board’s action items during the March 5 meeting; motions and unanimous voice votes recorded in the meeting transcript.
