The Colchester School District Board approved a prequalified list of five general contractors who will be allowed to submit bids for the PPS portion of the district facilities project.

The board said the list reflects firms that met the district’s published prequalification criteria and that the firms are financially sound and have documented local experience. Board members emphasized this vote simply accepts the prequalification list and does not evaluate bids themselves.

George, a staff member, said the district published a set of qualifications and invited firms to express interest; four firms responded quickly and a fifth was added more recently. He told the board the district had checked references and done site visits to assess firms’ past work. “References…were just glowing,” he said. He also said one firm’s headquarters is out of state but that the firm has performed local projects.

Board members asked whether anyone had been denied prequalification and how the district would handle budget information. George said no applicants had been rejected and that the district will share detailed plans with prequalified contractors but will not share the district’s internal cost estimate; the board will provide a high-level dollar amount related to the bond.

A motion to approve “the list of general contractors identified through the prequalification process and allow them to submit bids for the PPS project” was made and approved by voice vote. The motion text appears in the meeting record; the transcript shows everyone present responding “Aye.”

District staff said the prequalification list will be used for the current PPS bidding process and could be used for future bids; the board also approved the underlying qualification standards for both general-contract and unionized bids. Staff noted the bidders will spend the summer preparing bids and will work with district staff on scope documents before presenting bids in the fall.

The board did not discuss or award any construction contracts at the meeting; bid evaluation and contract awards will come later in the procurement process when bids are opened and reviewed.

Details: five prequalified firms; plans shared with bidders; internal cost estimate not shared; bidding focused on the PPS portion and funded from a portion of the district bond.