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Strong Vincent renovation bids come in under estimate; board hears $28.9M all-in construction figure and potential $5M state grant
Summary
The district reported competitive bids for the Strong Vincent Middle School renovation, with an all-in construction total of roughly $28.9 million and a possible state facilities grant that could offset part of the HVAC costs; board members raised procurement, workforce, phasing and tax-impact questions.
District facilities staff told the committee that bids opened for Strong Vincent Middle School’s renovation returned competitive pricing and that staff plan to present contract award recommendations at the board’s regular meeting later this month.
Construction staff said four prime contracts were bid (general, HVAC, plumbing and electrical). Thomas Construction was the apparent low general bidder at $10,935,000 for interior renovations; Rae Environmental Systems submitted low HVAC/plumbing bids; Newco Electric submitted the electrical bid. With recommended alternates (including chilled-water air conditioning and lighting/controls standardization), staff presented a proposed total construction contract amount of about $28.9 million.
Administrators said the district previously applied for a state facilities grant and could pursue a $5 million award targeted to HVAC work; that grant, if awarded, would require a local match (estimated 25%) that would reduce the district’s net obligation if granted. Staff also described a phasing plan that would take about eight classrooms offline at a time to minimize disruption; HVAC design and phasing drive the sequence of work.
Board members asked about contractor diversity and local-hiring opportunities, union versus nonunion participation and workforce shortages in the electrical trades. Facilities staff said all apparent low bidders were union-affiliated and that staffing shortages influenced bidder participation in the electrical package. Members requested follow-up on apprentice utilization and minority/women business participation for upcoming contracts.
Next steps: administration will return to the June 24 meeting with recommended contract awards and more detail on grant prospects, phasing and workforce/utilization expectations.
