The Coventry School Building Committee voted to approve submitting construction documents to the RIDE portal for the Coventry High School fire-protection project, a step required to obtain reimbursement under the district’s Stage 2 allocation.

James Pearson, chairman of the school committee, called for the motion. “Is there a motion to approve the ride portal submission?” he asked. Amy Anzalone, assistant superintendent, made the motion: “I make a motion to approve the ride portal submission.” The committee voted; the chair recorded the aye vote and the motion carried.

Committee presenters said the Stage 2 allocation for CHS fire protection was $2.7 million in the original submission; the most recent estimate is about $2.8 million and could approach $3.0 million. A detailed procurement schedule presented at the meeting sets out the following milestones: advertise in the weeks of Nov. 3 and Nov. 10, hold a pre-bid on Nov. 11, open bids on Nov. 25, present a recommendation to town council and school committee by Dec. 2, seek town council approval Dec. 9, issue a notice to proceed around Dec. 12 and target substantial completion by Dec. 1, 2026.

Staff and the OPM said they expect the contract to be awarded through the town council (the fiscal body), that the work will include second-shift construction during the school year, and that weekly construction meetings will be held once a contractor is onboarded. The committee discussed coordinating bid administration and evaluation; presenters recommended a public bid advertised by the town with a low-bid award process for this size of work.

The committee did not authorize a contractor award at the meeting; the vote approved only the RIDE portal submission and allowed staff to proceed with the procurement schedule and subsequent bid evaluation and council recommendation.

Ending: Committee members asked staff and the OPM to proceed with the advertised procurement timetable and return with bid results and a recommendation before town council action in December.