Norwich committee: trade bids open tomorrow as school projects run over grant estimates; design development approved for two sites

The Norwich School Building Committee heard updates Wednesday that trade contractor bids for the district’s elementary projects are due tomorrow, project budgets exceed earlier grant application estimates by millions of dollars, and the committee unanimously approved moving two schools into design development.

Project managers told the committee the bid package includes about 28–29 trade contractor scopes and that the team had issued seven addenda in response to bidders’ questions. Frank Tomshik, a bidding-process representative, said roughly 400 invitations were sent and about 200 bidders confirmed; he said the team expected multiple bids on major packages and fewer bidders on specialty packages such as food-service equipment and elevators. "Here we are. We're getting bids tomorrow," Tomshik said.

The committee approved the consent agenda covering invoices and consultant payments and then voted to authorize DRA to proceed from schematic design into the design-development phase for Ankus and Moriarty (motion moved by Peter Barthier; seconded by Bill Hall). The authorization passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting yes.

Why it matters: the three projects discussed — Greenville, Stanton/Standing and Moriarty Elementary — will add capacity to the district and require state grant approvals and local permitting. Committee…