By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

The Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education met on April 13 for their regularly scheduled meeting and the board unanimously approved three bid awards for technology and transportation projects.

Some of the awards are part of the district’s three series $160 million facilities renovation and new construction projects. Voters approved the bond in 2018.

First up was the transportation bid award. As has been discussed at previous meetings, the district has been looking into buying out 16 existing leases on their buses (10 general education buses and six special education buses).

LOCS will be utilizing a portion of their “COVID”-related grant funding to pay forthe project. The related funds were received by the district through Public Act 3 of 2021 section 11(r) School Aid Fund and Public Act 48 section 11(r) federal funding.

“We’re going to be using some grant funding and because of the dollar volume, there’s specific criteria and compliance issues related to doing the process and part of it is running a formal bid,” said Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance John Fitzgerald.

The district issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in March and had two bids come back later that month.

The board unanimously approved the contract presented in the amount of $1,115,442.

“Just as a closing thought behind the logic of this approach is it results in the districts direct long-term control of the buses that we know, we have experience with, they’re good vehicles,” Fitzgerald said. “We are also at the same time, going forward, reducing operating expenses. So, it’s, in my perspective, a win-win.”

Up next was a copier bid proposal for 61 copiers throughout the district. Traditionally, the district goes through the process of acquiring new copiers every six years or so. The difference this time around is that they will not be leasing them from a vendor and instead will be purchasing them outright.

“These are the big, large, high-speed copiers used throughout the buildings. Some color, some black and white and things along those lines,” said Fitzgerald. “So, from a district fleet strategy, prior to this process, what we’re requesting today, our typical process is to run an RFP for fleet replacement but focus on a five-year lease with a one-year buyout.

“After five-years we buy them out and own the fleet, run them another year, maybe two if they’re in good shape, and do the process all over again.”

The LOCS board approved a bid from Konica Minolta in the amount of $359,050.40 with an allocated contingency of $35,905 for a total of $394,955.40.

Funding for the copiers will come from the district’s series one technology bond.

Copiers are expected to be replaced over the summer and be ready when school returns in the fall.

Lastly, the board approved a bid award for electrical equipment and system installation at Waldon and Oakview Middle Schools.

The contract was approved with E.L. Electrical Contracting in the amount of $56,090 with an allocated contingency and allowances of $97,584 for a total of $153,664.

“If you really look, the actual contingency is $5,709. The other items are referred to as allowances, just like the other big projects. Meaning: we know we’re tearing into walls, so we have to have some money set aside to patch and paint that wall; same with the roof. If we need additional wiring or cabling that we find some, during this process, that just isn’t going to work and needs to be replaced. It puts the contractor in the position to do the work while they’re there with the walls and roof open and having funding available to get the whole project done in the best way possible,” Fitzgerald said.

Funding for the project will come out of the district’s series two bond.