Kevin Wanko

Kevin Wanko serves as a key procurement lead for Lawton Community Schools, overseeing the acquisition of critical infrastructure systems essential to maintaining safe and climate-controlled educational environments. His responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, as well as related building automation and energy efficiency upgrades. He ensures compliance with state and federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with the district’s strategic goals of operational resilience and sustainable facility management. Wanko routinely handles complex capital improvement contracts, preventive maintenance services, and technical installations requiring specialized contractor expertise in commercial and institutional HVAC systems. Wanko maintains collaborative relationships with a diverse pool of licensed mechanical contractors, HVAC system integrators, and building envelope specialists. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based specifications and long-term lifecycle cost analysis, favoring vendors with proven experience in K-12 facility retrofits and energy retrofit programs. He engages with contractors through competitive sealed bidding and negotiated procurements, prioritizing reliability, technical proficiency, and adherence to safety and indoor air quality standards. Wanko’s contracting activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of procurements open to all qualified vendors without socioeconomic preferences. This reflects a deliberate strategy to maximize competition and ensure access to the broadest possible pool of technical expertise, particularly for mission-critical infrastructure systems requiring specialized certifications and experience in public school environments. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS categories related to HVAC installation and maintenance, building equipment contracting, and energy conservation services. He specializes in procuring high-efficiency chillers, variable air volume systems, programmable thermostats, and integrated building management systems. Wanko’s technical expertise lies in ensuring that all acquired systems meet Michigan’s energy code requirements and support long-term sustainability goals for public educational facilities.