RFP - Welding Lab

Van Buren Intermediate School District is requesting bids on a Career and Technical Education welding lab construction project (RFP 5-6730) with proposals due June 11, 2026. This is a design-build or general contracting solicitation for a new welding facility at Van Buren ISD in Lawrence, Michigan (250 South Street).

The scope encompasses structural construction, mechanical systems, electrical infrastructure, plumbing, HVAC with direct digital controls, fire suppression, interior finishes, and specialized welding lab equipment and workstations. Work categories include selective demolition, concrete, masonry, metal wall panels, doors and frames, glazing, drywall and acoustical materials, painting, plumbing, HVAC installation and commissioning, electrical, and site work. The facility design includes a mezzanine with guardrails, welding booths (Lincoln Electric brand specified per owner preference), dust collection systems, CNC plasma tables, fabrication benches, multiple welding bus bars with dedicated electrical distribution (50A, 60A, and 20A circuits), and associated teaching infrastructure. All exposed structural steel must be galvanized and painted. Electrical specifications mandate GFCI and tamper-resistant receptacles per NEC 406.12, dedicated circuits for fire/smoke detection systems, and separate pathways for communications and security cabling. Modular central-station air-handling units must be supplied by one of five approved manufacturers: Carrier Global, Daikin Applied, Dunham-Bush, Trane Technologies, or York (Johnson Controls), with full perimeter galvanized steel bases, injection foam-insulated double-wall panels at minimum 12 R thermal value, AMCA-certified centrifugal fans, and copper-aluminum coils certified to AHRI 410. The contractor must provide factory representatives for systems startup, independent third-party testing and balancing, manufacturer training (minimum four hours), and two-year warranty coverage.

Bidding documents include the Invitation to Bid, work category descriptions, detailed architectural and engineering drawings (16 sheets posted), and three addenda issued May 28 and June 4, 2026. Addendum 001 introduced railings, door hardware schedules, and specification revisions; Addendum 002 modified exterior elevation and other details. Bidders must acknowledge all addenda on proposal forms. Questions and RFIs were due by May 30, 2026. No contract value, evaluation criteria, or incumbent information is stated in the source materials.