LPOSD seeks bids for multiple contracts

SANDPOINT – The Lake Pend Oreille School District is accepting bids for multiple contracts that will begin with the start of the 2022-’23 school year.

The bids are part of an annual process that allows the district an opportunity to compare prices in an effort to save money and ensure the best quality of services or goods.

The first of the bids will be a “cooperative purchase” of milk and dairy products between the Lake Pend Oreille, West Bonner County, and Boundary County school districts. For more details and specifications contact Bobbie Coleman, LPOSD director of child nutrition, by phone at 208-265-1569, ext 1120, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m-1 p.m., or email boobie.coleman@lposd.org

Next, LPOSD Transportation Director James Koehler has issued two separate bids for the department. One will fulfill the district's annual fuel needs to the tune of 65,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and 5,000 gallons of unleaded fuel. Koehler said the ideal candidate would have a card-lock site at the fueling station. The card lock, while providing security, also will provide the district with proper tracking of fuel usage, mileage, and a number of other details.

The second bid coming from the transportation department will replace three of the district's 41 71-passenger “Type C” school buses. These bids are issued when buses within the district fleet reach beyond their 12-year rated life cycle. The rest of the district’s transportation fleet consists of four mid-size special needs buses with wheelchair lifts, and five small “Type A” special needs buses.

Funding for the purchase comes from the Idaho Department of Education. Koehler said each year the district receives funds from the SDE for the depreciation of school buses, the district then saves the funds for purchases such as this. For more extensive details on either of these bids contact James Koehler via phone at 208-263-0926 or via email at james.koehler@lposd.org Monday-Friday, between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Matt Diel, LPOSD facilities director, has also issued two separate bids. The first bid is for snow removal with the second being similar to that issued by the transportation department In that bid, Diel is seeking a vendor for petrochemicals. Used for heating throughout the district, this bid is seeking a vendor to fulfill the need for heating oil and propane. Although the majority of the buildings in the district rely on natural gas for heat, Diel said the district uses more than 20,000 gallons of propane and heating oil combined in its facilities. This is why this specific bid process takes place every year to ensure the district can find an ideal vendor.

Diel said the ideal candidate will be able to deliver to the district on a regular basis at the lowest cost. For more extensive details on either of these bids contact Matt Diel via phone at 208-263-4137or via email at matthew.diel@lposd.org, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All bids may be submitted to the district office on or before 10 a.m. on Aug. 24. Bids should be submitted to Kelly Fischer, LPOSD clerk of the board, at the district office, 901 Triangle Drive. Each bid must be appropriately labeled, i.e. “snow removal,” “bus fuel,” etc. After the deadline, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

In the notices released by Fischer, there is a reminder that LPOSD reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive “irregularities” and to be the sole judge that will act in the best interest of the district.