Madison board approves CMAR agreement with Allstate Construction, accepts five-year plant survey

MADISON — The Madison County School Board on May 29 voted to accept a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) agreement with Allstate Construction and approved the district's required five-year plant survey as the district prepares for school consolidations and hurricane-mitigation work.

The actions set the district's procurement framework so work can move quickly once funding and final scopes are confirmed; the board voted to accept the CMAR recommendation 5-0 on a motion by Miss Knight, seconded by Miss Hagan. The five-year plant survey, presented by Mr. Ginn as the required review under Florida Department of Education (DOE) rules, was also approved by motion.

The CMAR item was presented by Mr. Rutherford, who described a submission deadline of April 30 and said the recommendation from the review committee was to award the contract to Allstate Construction. Rutherford told the board the CMAR agreement would be executed without an attached guaranteed maximum price and that the contract would rely on an exhibit A later to define the specific scope, time and dollars. He said an advertised, budgetary estimate of $2,500,000 was attached to the solicitation as an estimated value for the advertised scope but that the final scope and price must be determined by subsequent sub-market bids and agency funding.

Rutherford said the approach allows the district to have a construction manager in place now and "shovel ready to proceed" once funds and specific bid numbers are available. He explained the contract is "at risk" and that the GMP (the guaranteed maximum price) would be set in exhibit A once subcontracts and precise scope are determined.

Mr. Ginn told the board the five-year plant survey is required by the DOE and includes both required facility checks and a district wish list. Ginn said the survey contains recommendations related to closing three online schools and included studies of Madison County High School and Central School to confirm space for incoming students following the planned consolidation.

Board members asked about funding sources and timing. Rutherford said potential funding sources discussed in the presentation included DOE and Federal Emergency Management (FEMA)/FDEM hurricane-mitigation or related grants, but he cautioned that specific funding allocations had not been finalized.

The board approved the CMAR acceptance and the five-year plant survey so the district can proceed with detailed scoping, sub-market bidding and, if/when funding is awarded, attach exhibit A (scope, schedule and dollars) to the CMAR contract.

Next steps noted by staff include completing sub-market bid packages to establish precise costs, confirming grant or agency funding for the work, and returning to the board for approval of exhibit A and any contract dollars before construction begins.