OFCC seeks modest operating increases and construction‑process reforms; industry urges caution on IPD and best‑value selection

Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) Executive Director Joy Bledsoe told the House Education Committee the commission will seek modest operating increases in the FY 2026–27 budget and proposed statutory changes intended to shorten procurement timelines and reduce administrative burdens on public construction projects.

Bledsoe said OFCC currently oversees roughly 300 active design/construction projects representing about $5 billion in economic activity statewide, and that the agency’s biennial budget submission would fund both continuing school‑construction programs and investments in technology and professional services to support district clients. She highlighted the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) and other state school construction partnerships as a primary focus and detailed OFCC’s recent role administering federal ARPA grants for school safety and career‑technical construction.

Why it matters: OFCC manages state support and project administration for school and state agency construction; changes in procurement rules and construction funding flows affect how quickly districts can start projects, how local‑share calculations are applied, and how grants for career‑tech and cultural/sports facilities are awarded.

Details and proposals

- Program scale: Bledsoe said OFCC manages more than 300 projects in design or construction and administers nearly $5 billion in economic activity. As of testimony, 304 districts had completed or partially completed CFAP master facility plans, 69 were in planning, and about 40 were in active design or construction.

- Capital and federal grants: OFCC described recent administration of ARPA programs: the Ohio School Safety Grant (more than $210 million awarded to roughly 2,700 eligible public and nonpublic schools) and a $200 million career‑tech construction program that awarded 35 grants to expand career‑technical seats (an estimated 3,369 additional seats). OFCC also administered $90 million in Appalachian Community Innovation Center grants to 11 districts.

- Construction process reforms: Bledsoe presented language for procurement and process modernization intended to speed award and award‑to‑groundbreaking timing, reduce duplicative administrative burden (including retainage reform), and permit expanded electronic notices and contracting flexibility. She said all proposals share an efficiency theme and grew from OFCC collaboration with contracting and trade partners.

Industry and public testimony

- AGC of Ohio: Dan Edwards, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Ohio, praised OFCC’s collaborative approach and said AGC supports retainage reform, building information modeling (BIM) provisions, IDIQ (indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity) contracting, and limited self‑performance allowances for certain delivery methods. However, AGC urged caution on adding integrated project delivery (IPD) to public procurement law, calling it “very early to add it legislatively” and noting legal and surety implications for the state.

- Best‑value procurement concerns: AGC recommended that any “best value” consolidation of qualifications and price not be tied to a strict dollar threshold; instead the organization recommended a qualitative screen and that pricing remain sealed while qualifications are evaluated.

- Career‑tech leaders: Scott Wodega, superintendent at Ashtabula County Technical and Career Center, asked lawmakers to create a legislative study committee to analyze sustainable funding models for career‑technical facility expansion. Wodega said the recent one‑time $200 million ARPA infusion helped some districts but left many with unmet capital needs.

Committee questions and fiscal items

Legislators questioned OFCC officials about the eligibility and ranking formula for CFAP offers, how rising property valuations affect ranking and state/local share calculations, debt‑service estimates, timing for an updated Educational Facilities Planning Guide, and how OFCC handles post‑construction defect claims and recoupment. OFCC said the agency works with OBM debt teams on debt service estimates, expects to begin updating guidance in the next fiscal year, and uses post‑construction compliance and third‑party evaluations when defects arise.

Direct quotes from the hearing

- "We are a continuous improvement agency," Joy Bledsoe, Executive Director, Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, said of the proposed procurement and timing reforms. - "We think it's very early to add [IPD] legislatively as a project delivery system," Dan Edwards, CEO, AGC of Ohio, said when describing industry concerns about integrated project delivery.

What was not decided

No formal votes were taken in committee during OFCC testimony. Multiple members asked follow‑up questions and requested additional materials on debt service, cultural and sports facilities bond payments, and program spending timelines.

Clarifying details extracted from testimony

- OFCC cited approximately $5,000,000,000 in economic activity under management and more than 300 projects in design/construction. - CFAP status at time of testimony: 304 districts completed/partially completed master facilities plans; 69 in planning; ~40 in design/construction; 42 participating in an expedited local partnership program. - Ohio School Safety Grant: more than $210,000,000 of ARPA funding awarded to ~2,700 schools. - Career technical construction program: $200,000,000 ARPA funds awarded to 35 districts to add an estimated 3,369 seats. - Appalachian Community Innovation Centers: $90,000,000 ARPA grants awarded to 11 districts. - OFCC is administering roughly 150 state agency projects totaling about $2.7 billion.

Speakers (selected)

- Joy Bledsoe — Executive Director, Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (government) - Dan Edwards — CEO, Associated General Contractors of Ohio (business/industry) - Scott Wodega — Superintendent, Ashtabula County Technical and Career Center; representing OACS and Ohio ACTE (education/CTE) - Paul Mann — Chief of Finance, OFCC (government) - Representative Ritter — State Representative (government) - Representative Piccolantonio — State Representative (government) - Representative Miller — State Representative (government) - Representative Robinson — State Representative (government) - Representative Brennan — State Representative (government)

Authorities and program references

- House Bill 96 (other) — main operating budget referenced during testimony. - ARPA (grant) — federal American Rescue Plan Act grants administered by OFCC for school safety and career‑tech construction. - Ohio Revised Code (code) — OFCC testimony and proposed language changes referenced procurement language and revised code updates.

Discussion vs. decision

- Discussion: OFCC described program scale, recent ARPA grant administration, and proposed statutory language to modernize procurement timelines and notices. - Direction: OFCC officials said they will continue stakeholder engagement on draft procurement language and provide follow‑up details requested by committee members (debt estimates, cultural facilities bond payment details, and career‑tech program expenditure status). - Formal action: None taken at the hearing.

Proper names (selected)

- Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) (agency) - Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) (program) - Ohio School Safety Center (agency partner) - Associated General Contractors of Ohio (AGC of Ohio) (industry organization) - Ashtabula County Technical and Career Center / ATEC (school)

Searchable tags: ["OFCC","school-construction","CFAP","career-tech","ARPA","construction-reform"]

Provenance

- topicintro: {"block_id":"block_4249.315","local_start":0,"local_end":115,"evidence_excerpt":"I am Joy Bledsoe, the executive director of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Thank you for allowing me to provide testimony in support of House Bill 96..."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"block_6866.95","local_start":0,"local_end":12,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you."}

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