LCPS updates procurement rules, nutrition plan and EB Frank construction progress

District staff presented several operational updates at the March 19 Lenoir County Board of Education meeting, including changes to procurement rules for school nutrition, a furniture‑vendor recommendation for the new EB Frank Middle School, and a construction progress report.

Miss Mary Turner (Child Nutrition) told the board the only substantive change to the school nutrition procurement plan was an updated micro‑purchasing threshold mandated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction — the limit has moved from $3,500 to $15,000. She said the procurement plan will be available for board members to review before the March 30 meeting.

Facilities and project managers recommended Brain Specialty Company as the preferred furniture vendor for the new EB Frank Middle School following a review of eight proposals based on cost, quality, functionality and vendor support. The recommendation will return for full board approval at a subsequent meeting.

Construction staff reported the EB Frank project remains on schedule and on budget, with an anticipated early‑2027 completion. The presenter said the project had recorded 361 safety observations and zero reportable safety incidents to date, that crews are installing pre‑cast roof decks and structural steel, and that the project is roughly halfway through a planned 461‑day schedule. Staff disclosed project metrics including 88 requests for information (four open) and 586 submittals (199 open) and outlined near‑term work such as setting canopy steel and preparing the gym slab.

Board members were invited to contact staff with questions during the three‑week review period prior to March 30. The vendor recommendation and the naming request for the South High School baseball field were presented as items expected to return for action at next month’s meeting.