The Port Angeles School District Board of Directors voted to accept a guaranteed maximum price of $61,779,059 for the Stevens Middle School construction project and authorized the district to sign a contract with the construction firm Form a once the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction issues the required D10 authorization.

The vote came after a presentation from Nolan Deuce, the district’s director of capital projects, who described the GMP and the project schedule. "The GMP, the guaranteed maximum price is $61,779,059," Deuce said. He told the board the amount includes the field, contingency and tariff language and that funding is available in the district’s capital projects fund and from SCAP funding. Deuce said he had spoken with OSPI and that, "if our forms are in on time, do we expect to have that notice by September 4? And they said yes, easily."

The board discussion and Deuce’s presentation explained the work will be staged. Deuce said the scope includes 84,700 square feet of new construction and about 25,000 square feet of modernization for the gym. He told the board the existing gym would be turned over to the contractor for modernization and "nobody is gonna be able to use it until 01/01/2027." The classroom wing’s substantial completion date was listed as 04/12/2027 to allow move‑in and furniture installation before the following school year. Deuce said the full project completion is projected for November 22, 2027, and that the synthetic field will be one of the final items installed because of staging needs.

Board members moved and seconded a motion to accept the GMP documents as presented; the motion carried on the board’s voice vote. Board discussion touched on interim impacts to student activities and meals: Deuce said lunch plans will be developed once the gym is unavailable, and the board discussed bussing fall football practices and events to the high school track.

The approval authorizes district staff to proceed with the contract process, subject to OSPI’s D10 authorization and the district’s execution of the GMP amendment with Form a. District staff and Deuce indicated site work already began in earlier bid packages (civil, structural and an elevator early package) and that foundations and vertical construction would accelerate in September.

The board’s action was procedural: it authorized acceptance of the GMP and contract execution on condition of state approval and did not modify the project scope or funding sources.

The district plans to return to the board with any contract documents required for final signatures and with periodic capital‑projects updates during construction.