A demolition contract for Milwaukee’s fire-damaged Lincoln Avenue School has been challenged by a local contractor who says Milwaukee Public Schools has failed to explain how the winning bid was chosen.
The MRD Group offered to carry out the work for $928,000, but MPS is considering a $4.8 million contract with Illinois-based TW Chicago. The school board discussed the proposal on Monday, November 2, but did not reach a decision.
MRD has lodged an appeal through the district’s procurement process and hired attorney John Machulak to represent the company. The contractor says bidders have not been shown the competing proposals or the scores used to assess them.
“We’re very frustrated with the whole process. We want some transparency,” Tom Hervey, a project manager for MRD, said.
Questions over Milwaukee school demolition bid
MRD said its price included asbestos workers, site supervision and the documentation required to manage the demolition safely. The company accepts that it may not win every contract, but argues that the selection process should be open and properly explained.
Machulak said the gap between the two bids was difficult to understand, particularly as the district was considering paying almost $4 million more than MRD’s offer.
“Nobody’s been able to see what the bids were or what the score were as promised,” he said.
MPS has said the contract was awarded through a competitive request for proposals rather than a lowest-price tender. The district’s assessment included factors such as cost, experience, safety, environmental controls and the proposed approach to the work.
The bidding process was reopened in September after the first round produced only one proposal. The second round attracted six further bids, according to reports on the procurement process.
Fire-damaged school due to be demolished
Lincoln Avenue School was destroyed by a major fire on June 30. Milwaukee fire officials later determined that rags containing cleaning chemicals had spontaneously combusted in a plastic bin.
The building was declared unsafe because of severe structural damage, including the collapse of its roof. Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission approved its demolition on July 6, citing the danger of collapse and the potential release of hazardous materials such as asbestos or lead.
MPS has said demolition is expected to begin in November and continue through the winter, with the site due to be restored and grass planted in the spring. The district has received an initial insurance payment intended to fund the work.
Lincoln Avenue’s pupils and staff have been relocated to Casimir Pulaski High School for the current academic year while the future of the original site is considered.
An MPS spokesperson said: “MPS received MRD Group’s appeal and is reviewing it through the district’s established procurement appeal process.”
The district is due to hold community information sessions about the demolition at Mitchell Street Library on Thursday, November 5.
