The decided on a bidder to replace the boiler at and awarded the bid to C.J. Vanderbeck out of Paterson.
C.J. Vanderbeck was the lowest responsible bidder, submitting a bid of $244,100. This is approximately $37,000 lower than the next lowest bidder, Silva’s Mechanical Services of Kearny, and over $140,000 lower than the highest bidder for the project, K & D Contractors out of Kenilworth.
Peter Daquila, the district’s Business Administrator, said he was pleased with the recommendation the district received from the district’s Building and Grounds Supervisor John Cataldo.
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“Even though there is a disparity of $140,000 between high and low (bidders), I’m very pleased that we have a reputable vendor and a high quality job,” he said.
Some members, however, were hesitant to throw their support behind the recommendation. Board Member Matthew Gilfillan asked what the district is doing to make sure the new boiler installation is high-quality work in light of its relatively low price.
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Still, Daquila seemed confident that the project would be completed at the highest quality possible, citing the contractor’s previous work, in and out of the district.
“We’re comfortable. C.J. Vanderbeck has done a lot of maintenance work on boilers outside of the district. He’s very easy to work with and responsible,” Daquila said. “Even though we’re not getting money from the state from the project, this is an (New Jersey Schools Development Authority) vendor, so it’s a reputable, dependable vendor in the industry.”
Daquila also noted that, of the $244,100 the contractor will be charging for the project, $25,000 will be dedicated to change orders related to the project.
