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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date:October 7, 2025 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No.8-n <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Whitted Chiller Replacement Equipment Contract Award <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services, <br />Finance and Administrative <br />Services <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Construction Contract <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Angel Barnes, 919.245.2628 <br />Jovana Amaro, 919.245.2651 <br />Alan Dorman, 919.245.2658 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To: <br />1) Approve the County entering into a construction contract with Brady Services, Inc. for the <br />purchase of replacement chiller equipment for the Richard E. Whitted Complex; and <br />2) Authorize the County Manager to execute the Agreement, subject to final review by the <br />County Attorney, and any subsequent amendments for contingent and unforeseen <br />requirements up to the approved budget amount on behalf of the Board. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In 2014, the existing Carrier chiller unit was installed at the Richard E. Whitted <br />Complex. In FY 2022-2023, Orange County completed the asset assessment, in which the <br />existing chiller was listed in fair condition. In FY 2023-2024, the Board approved funding to replace <br />the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment at the Whitted Complex. The <br />design for the replacement was awarded in March 2023. The design began immediately and was <br />delayed due to the changes and differences within the Whitted Complex. Staff engaged additional <br />resources to thoroughly review all the HVAC equipment to ensure a clear understanding of the <br />site's existing conditions and assets. The existing chiller started having issues while finalizing the <br />design's last air handler unit portions. Finally, the existing chiller stopped running, requiring staff <br />to rent a chiller until the new chiller arrives. <br /> <br />The purchase would be made through a competitive group purchasing program, OMNIA Partners, <br />Contract Number 3341, awarded to Trane US, Inc., and awarded to Brady Services, Inc. This <br />exception to the competitive bidding requirements is found in North Carolina General Statute 143- <br />129(e)(3), “Purchases or repair work involving a combination of installation labor and equipment <br />acquisition made through a competitive bidding group purchasing program, which is a formally <br />organized program that offers competitively obtained purchasing services at discount prices to <br />two or more public agencies. For the purposes of this subdivision, "repair work" is (i) limited to the <br />repair of heating and cooling systems, (ii) may not exceed a total cost of two million dollars <br />($2,000,000) for installation labor or other related costs incidental to equipment acquisition, and <br />(iii) is procured using a competitive bidding group purchasing program that is qualified to sell to <br />1