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Board moves forward on new ag facility after bid, funding and documentation disputes
Summary
Weslaco ISD trustees voted to reject a top-ranked contractor submission after staff could not locate required warranty/attachment materials in the committee packet, and authorized the superintendent to negotiate with the next-ranked proposer to finalize a contract for the new agricultural facility.
WESLACO ISD trustees voted during their March workshop to reject a specific top-ranked proposal for the district’s new agricultural facility and to proceed with the next-ranked bidder, authorizing Superintendent Richard Rivera to negotiate contract terms and price adjustments.
The action followed a presentation by bond counsel Ricardo Perez and financial adviser Angel Magallanes showing the district had budgeted about $9,000,000 for the project but received bids near $13,500,000 — leaving an approximate $4.5 million shortfall. Perez told the board the district can use interest earned on bond proceeds or reimburse eligible prior expenditures under a reimbursement resolution the board adopted on Nov. 16, 2023. "You have sources to fund that shortfall," Perez said, noting interest and reimbursable items as options.
Trustees raised procurement concerns after reviewing summary materials and rubric scores. Several members said the packet summaries did not clearly show required attachments — including insurance certificates and one-year manufacturer warranties — for the top-ranked proposer. Purchasing staff said full attachments were uploaded into the district’s electronic bid system, but trustees requested confirmation and the committee’s detailed scoring sheets.
Trustee Ben Castillo made the motion to reject the single proposer’s submission and to move to the next-ranked firm if required documentation could not be identified; the board seconded and approved the motion. The superintendent was authorized to negotiate price and to address items trustees asked be included in the contract negotiation, such as livestock pens, ventilation options and warranty terms.
The board directed administration to return with full committee backup, including individual ranking sheets and the ionWave attachments, before final contract execution. Staff said they would pursue a best-and-final negotiation to secure equipment and any add-ons requested by trustees and stakeholders.
The vote cleared the way for the administration to continue negotiations and return with contract terms for board review or ratification as required.
