Bids over $22 million on school construction

Two general contractors, both from Spokane, were the only firms to submit bids on the K-12 new school facility here.

Bids were opened at 4 p.m. Tuesday by Cameron Golightly, architect with Design West of Pullman.

Walker Construction’s base bid was $22,942,000.

The second bidder was Graham Construction, which submitted a bid of $23,185,000.

Both construction firms submitted a host of alternate bids, 11 in all.

Golightly said that his architectural firm, along with other officials, will study the bids and alternative bids to determine who will get the contract.

The school board is scheduled to make a selection at its March 25 meeting.

Alternatives included such features as a metal roof or a composition roof, and different flooring materials.

The successful bidder will have a tight schedule to complete the project in time for occupancy with the startup of school in the fall of 2014. Students at Lake Roosevelt High School will occupy their present classroom wing until they move into the new school and then that wing will be torn down.

The initial phase of the project will be a five-foot fill of the building site to bring it to grade, and the construction of a retaining wall.

Recently, school officials traveled to California to look at furniture for the new school complex. A consultant had toured the district’s present schools and determined that nothing was worth moving.