Mechanical project rebid set after asbestos scope and bidding errors

District staff told the board it will rebid a mechanical upgrade project after the lowest bidder failed to include a late addendum and additional asbestos abatement was found.

"There were two components of it," Marine told the board, explaining that an addendum with asbestos abatement details was issued after the initial bid; the apparent low bidder missed that addendum and withdrew. Staff then reviewed the second-lowest bid and determined that the combined scope and schedule made summer work infeasible because the buildings host summer programs and camps. Marine said the district expects the rebid to be issued in early fall with construction slated for the next year.

The speaker also described procurement thresholds that affected the evaluation: staff concluded the second bidder’s price would not avoid multiple-prime requirements (the transcript refers to a threshold around $1.5 million), and that the ultimate cost projections exceeded initial expectations (a figure of about $1.66 million was discussed). Because additional asbestos abatement was discovered, the district judged the summer to be an impractical window for abatement work while programs occupy the buildings.

District staff said they will reissue the RFP in early fall, lock in the work for the following year and explore whether some limited paperwork or staging can be completed during school breaks to reduce conflicts with building use.

What happens next: the district will rebid the mechanical/abatement package in early fall; contract award timing and contractor responsibilities will be reported back to the board in a future meeting.