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Houston School Board throws out all bids on HVAC project
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Although they felt they had made the right decision the first time, the Houston School Board decided to throw out all of the original bids on a $1.5 million improvement project to renovate the school’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system and advertise for new bids. Winona Controls of Caledonia had been awarded the original bid.
The board action took place March 17, six days after Houston County District Judge James Fabian issued a temporary restraining order, putting the awarding of the contract on hold until arguments could be reviewed at an April 2 hearing.
After looking at the pros and cons of waiting for the April 2 hearing, the school district decided fighting the case would cost the district more money in legal fees and delay the project.
Ryan Mechanical Inc. of Red Wing filed suit against the school district when the school board voted unanimously to award the HVAC contract to Winona Controls during a March 3 meeting. Ryan Mechanical and Winona Controls were the two lowest bidders out of five area contractors that submitted bids.
Although the Red Wing-based company’s bid was $38,200 less than Winona Controls, the Houston School Board awarded the contract to the Caledonia-based company because they felt Winona Contorls was the “lowest responsible bidder.”
Houston School District Superintendent Kim Ross explained, “It’s just not about the price, there are other factors involved. The contract was awarded based on the lowest responsible bid.”
The school district’s facility committee utilized a bid consideration analysis, which graded the two lowest bidders. Winona Controls received 57 points, while Ryan Mechanical received 51 points. The other three bids were way out of the ballpark, Ross noted. The bid consideration analysis was created by a consulting firm hired by the school district.
Randy Ryan, owner of Ryan Mechanical, contends the criteria used in the analysis focused on minor bidding details and was arbitrary and capricious.
“This is a significant project and a long term commitment,” Ross noted. “The price is very important, but making the right decision, hiring the lowest responsible bidder, are very important considerations as well.”
Monday morning Ross reported the school board would be meeting that evening to go over the final details with the school district’s attorney to “tighten up the specs, which will make for a better project.
“We learned some things with this bidding process. And I feel this will improve what we will be doing,” Ross noted. He said if all goes well at the Monday evening meeting, the call for bids will be posted Thursday with the bid deadline being April 10. The committee will review all of the bids April 17 and the contract will be awarded at the April 21 meeting.
“If we run into a bump in the road Monday night, or with the postings, everything would be pushed back one week. But that will still give us enough time to get the project off the ground in plenty of time.”
Ross stated the board felt a drawn out trial would have taken a lot more time to resolve. And once the trial was completed, there was the potential of the project having to be re-bid anyway.
When contacted last Friday regarding the March 17 decision by the Houston School Board, Winona Controls President Randy Klinski said he really didn’t wish to comment on it. He did indicate that his company would be submitting another bid and noted the longer the bidding process takes, the more challenging it will be to complete the project before school starts in the fall.
The original bid deadline was Friday the 13th…of February. “Maybe that had something to do with it,” Klinski said with a laugh.
While attempts to contact Randy Ryan were unsuccessful, his attorney indicated that Ryan Mechanical would be submitting a new bid for the project.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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