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 members and consultants said schedules have shifted because of extensive bidder questions and an extended state plan review process, which has pushed a likely groundbreaking to no earlier than late May without further schedule changes.

Most important details: - Bids and bids process: Project staff said seven addenda were issued across the two-school bid sets. The team expects multiple bids on large trades (concrete, masonry, steel, electrical, HVAC) and fewer bidders on constrained scopes (elevator, food-service equipment). The project team will read bids aloud at a public bid opening and complete a bid tabulation on-site.

- Contractor selection and early letters of authorization: If trade packages align with budget estimates, staff said they may return to the committee with limited letters of authorization (LOAs) for critical trades before a full guaranteed maximum price (GMP) is assembled. Staff emphasized caution about issuing LOAs prematurely because of general-conditions impacts.

- Budget and grant status: Project staff reported that schematic estimates for some projects are approximately $2.0–$2.5 million over the grant application amounts and that the team expects to prepare grant revisions (the packet repeatedly referenced a forthcoming state “commencement” or revision letter). A project budget line in the packet listed total expenditures to date of $2,861,006 (excluding invoices brought forward for approval at this meeting).

- Permitting and materials testing: Staff said a single conform set of drawings will be delivered to the independent plan reviewer, the fire marshal and the building department for permit review once the design-team consolidates addenda. A materials-testing contract has not been awarded; staff described plans to issue unit-price contracts with not-to-exceed estimates based on anticipated test quantities and schedule.

- Commissioning agent and high-performance requirements: An RFP for commissioning services was to be issued; staff indicated the projected return date for commissioning proposals was in early April. The commissioning agent helps ensure compliance with the state’s high-performance building requirements.

- Schedule risk and state review: Multiple speakers told the committee the state’s new review process and several rounds of addenda extended the review timeline. That, plus substantial site work at Greenville, pushed the district to a conservative schedule; staff said monthly schedule updates from the construction manager (Downs Construction) would be provided going forward.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of meeting minutes (02/25): motion carried on roll call (eight members present during that vote; tally read as 8–0 in the transcript). Specific mover not identified in the transcript; second was recorded as Bill Hall.

- Consent agenda (payments and invoices as listed in the meeting packet): motion to approve carried on roll call. The packet listed multiple consultant and invoice amounts (detailed line items were included in the meeting materials distributed to committee members).

- Authorization to proceed to design development for Ankus and Moriarty: motion by Peter Barthier, second by Bill Hall; outcome: approved unanimously on roll-call vote (10 yes).

What committee members asked and next steps: Members pressed for clearer monthly schedule updates and for an understanding of which schedule changes are within the district’s control vs. driven by state review. Staff said they will return to the committee after the bid opening with a bid tabulation, apparent low bidders, and a schedule for scope reviews; the GMP will be assembled following scope confirmations. The commissioning RFP and the materials-testing contract remained outstanding tasks.

The committee did not set a fixed groundbreaking date; staff said late May is the earliest reasonable start if current permitting and procurement progress as expected. The committee requested more frequent schedule updates to avoid future surprises and asked staff to follow up on utility and sewer connection fee responsibilities.