Bids Received for Warsaw Schools STEM Bus, Food Vehicle
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Chief Academics Officer David Hoffert and Director of Food Services Marci Franks talked about the bids during the school board’s public work session Tuesday afternoon. The board will vote on the bids Monday night during its regular monthly meeting.
The bid amounts are $53,627 from Kerlin Motors, Silver Lake, for the food transport vehicle; and $225,552 from Turtle Top, New Paris, for the bus.
Franks said they sought quotes from four companies, with Kerlin and McCormack Motors responding.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said the quotes came in less than they were expecting. He said they were planning for about $60,000.
John Ryan, Transportation Department head mechanic, said the food transport vehicle is a fully refrigerated commercial vehicle. The floor is aluminum instead of wood like the old vehicle. Access to the refrigerated part of the vehicle is through the back only.
Asked about a delivery date for the food transport vehicle, Franks said, “I think he said 60 days if I’m not mistaken.”
Board member Randy Polston said he appreciated that they were able to buy locally.
As for the bus, Hoffert said six different companies asked for bid specifications, but only one company bid. “We wanted something very specialized and unique,” Hoffert explained as to why only one company bid.
He said Warsaw’s instructional coaches took a look at the bid package from Turtle Top. It did have a deluxe refrigerator in it, but the instructional coaches couldn’t justify the cost for it, so the bus will have a regular campus dorm-sized refrigerator in it.
“We’d rather put that money toward technology,” Hoffert explained.
The bid did come in higher than originally planned because a warranty, extra power in the generator and a Wabasto heater to warm up the engine were added.
“We were right on budget with everything else we proposed with technology,” Hoffert said after the meeting.
Dan Metzger, board member, asked if the bus was handicapped-accessible. Hoffert said it was, 100 percent.
Since it does have a sink and refrigerator in it, Ryan said it will be titled as an RV.
When Board President Jennifer Tandy asked if it would ever transport students, Hoffert said it would not. The only person in it when it travels from place to place will be the driver.
As for life expectancy of the bus, Ryan said at least 10 years. Hoffert said the technology inside the bus will be able to be updated as needed.
“It’s such a special project, I think we’ll have to dedicate a driver to it,” Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz said. The driver also would be someone who could work as an assistant to teachers when a class is using the bus, he indicated.
Metzger asked where the funding for the bus came from.
At the Aug. 26 meeting, OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop announced OrthoWorx was investing $300,000 in a partnership with WCS to further expand science, technology, engineering and math education in the area. WCS committed $185,000 to the partnership to support the school system’s Moving STEM Forward program. Part of the $485,000 total was for a mobile STEM learning laboratory that can be employed across the corporation.
Hoffert suggested they could have a grand opening for the bus. He also said they could take it out into the community to events like the county fair. Because Warsaw may be the only school corporation with a bus like it in the state, Hoffert said it will be really special.
As for delivery date, Hoffert said it will take 140 manufacturing days after Turtle Top is given the specifications. “So we’re looking at the end of the April, the beginning of May,” Hoffert said.
He concluded by stating, “We have a lot of different irons in the fire to make sure this will be successful.”[[In-content Ad]]
Chief Academics Officer David Hoffert and Director of Food Services Marci Franks talked about the bids during the school board’s public work session Tuesday afternoon. The board will vote on the bids Monday night during its regular monthly meeting.
The bid amounts are $53,627 from Kerlin Motors, Silver Lake, for the food transport vehicle; and $225,552 from Turtle Top, New Paris, for the bus.
Franks said they sought quotes from four companies, with Kerlin and McCormack Motors responding.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said the quotes came in less than they were expecting. He said they were planning for about $60,000.
John Ryan, Transportation Department head mechanic, said the food transport vehicle is a fully refrigerated commercial vehicle. The floor is aluminum instead of wood like the old vehicle. Access to the refrigerated part of the vehicle is through the back only.
Asked about a delivery date for the food transport vehicle, Franks said, “I think he said 60 days if I’m not mistaken.”
Board member Randy Polston said he appreciated that they were able to buy locally.
As for the bus, Hoffert said six different companies asked for bid specifications, but only one company bid. “We wanted something very specialized and unique,” Hoffert explained as to why only one company bid.
He said Warsaw’s instructional coaches took a look at the bid package from Turtle Top. It did have a deluxe refrigerator in it, but the instructional coaches couldn’t justify the cost for it, so the bus will have a regular campus dorm-sized refrigerator in it.
“We’d rather put that money toward technology,” Hoffert explained.
The bid did come in higher than originally planned because a warranty, extra power in the generator and a Wabasto heater to warm up the engine were added.
“We were right on budget with everything else we proposed with technology,” Hoffert said after the meeting.
Dan Metzger, board member, asked if the bus was handicapped-accessible. Hoffert said it was, 100 percent.
Since it does have a sink and refrigerator in it, Ryan said it will be titled as an RV.
When Board President Jennifer Tandy asked if it would ever transport students, Hoffert said it would not. The only person in it when it travels from place to place will be the driver.
As for life expectancy of the bus, Ryan said at least 10 years. Hoffert said the technology inside the bus will be able to be updated as needed.
“It’s such a special project, I think we’ll have to dedicate a driver to it,” Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz said. The driver also would be someone who could work as an assistant to teachers when a class is using the bus, he indicated.
Metzger asked where the funding for the bus came from.
At the Aug. 26 meeting, OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop announced OrthoWorx was investing $300,000 in a partnership with WCS to further expand science, technology, engineering and math education in the area. WCS committed $185,000 to the partnership to support the school system’s Moving STEM Forward program. Part of the $485,000 total was for a mobile STEM learning laboratory that can be employed across the corporation.
Hoffert suggested they could have a grand opening for the bus. He also said they could take it out into the community to events like the county fair. Because Warsaw may be the only school corporation with a bus like it in the state, Hoffert said it will be really special.
As for delivery date, Hoffert said it will take 140 manufacturing days after Turtle Top is given the specifications. “So we’re looking at the end of the April, the beginning of May,” Hoffert said.
He concluded by stating, “We have a lot of different irons in the fire to make sure this will be successful.”[[In-content Ad]]
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