Lakeland trustees approve site and fieldhouse contracts, ask staff for clearer bid breakdown

Trustees for the Lakeland District approved multiple construction contracts Monday night, including a $89,477 award for the THS fieldhouse and base-bid awards for site work at Lakeland Middle School and related campuses.

The board voted to award the fieldhouse contract to Darden Enterprises for $89,477 plus selected alternates after no board members voiced objections. Trustees later approved base bids for Liberty Land Works ($284,026) and FiveStar Concrete ($1,071,250) for the parking-lot and site-concrete work, with the motions carrying on board votes.

The board’s action followed a lengthy staff presentation on bid packaging and recent value-engineering savings. Staff reported that after the Monday bid opening they identified $64,000 in scope reductions that reduce the previously posted overage; staff also said the district expects a permit-fee reduction of roughly $130,000 once approved. Staff described the project pricing as a guaranteed maximum price (GMPCMGC) that includes contingency and drawing/architectural fees that are not part of the base bid totals.

“Prevailing wage is one reason for higher bids,” facilities director Tim H said while explaining why some bidders were higher; he also noted that Liberty Land Works bid lower in part because the company is already on related local projects. “Liberty Land Works is already here,” he said.

Trustees pressed staff for a clearer public accounting of the totals: one trustee asked for a breakdown separating base bids from architect and CMGC fees, contingency, permit estimates and any previously approved spending so the public record would reflect the full cost and source of the district’s previously approved $509,600 authorization. Staff said they would provide a line-item breakdown and return with alternates and supporting documentation at a future meeting.

The board and staff also discussed several bid alternates that were not part of the approved base bids. Alternate one (parking-lot lighting) was priced at roughly $80,000 and was described as optional; staff said conduit infrastructure is being installed so lights could be added later. Alternate two concerns replacement of concrete work at Lakeland Middle School; staff said that alternate would be covered by a different contractor if outside funding/commitment is confirmed by the third-party company referenced in the packet.

Trustees instructed staff to return with a full breakdown of the figures, including the architect and CMGC fees and a clear delineation of what was previously approved versus what is being authorized with these motions. The board agreed that work would not begin until after the school year ends.

The approvals on the base bids allow staff to proceed with contracting for the base-scope work; alternates and additional quotations were left for future board consideration.