School board approves $30.04 million guaranteed maximum price for Bedford County construction projects

The Bedford County School Board on Jan. 9 approved a guaranteed maximum price of $30,035,220 for a package of school construction projects under the county's PPA/PPEA procurement, the board said during its organizational meeting.

The package covers a new multipurpose/gym addition at Bedford Primary School and auditorium renovations and ancillary work at Liberty High School and Stanton River High School, plus campus canopy and site drainage improvements. The board heard a presentation from Jamerson Lewis Construction and architect Dominion 7 before the vote.

Why it matters: the work is intended to renovate aging auditoriums, add rehearsal and instructional spaces, and build a smaller, dedicated gym/multipurpose room for Bedford Primary that the district said will reduce the need to convert the cafeteria for PE and assemblies. County staff and contractors said the design team trimmed the price by $211,302 from an earlier construction limit while preserving the program and keeping a contingency in place.

Design and cost details presented to the board included 95% drawings, furniture/AV and acoustic upgrades for the auditoriums, a secured enclosed connector and 5,000-square-foot multipurpose room at Bedford Primary, and a campus-wide canopy replacement/refurbishment plan. Jamerson Lewis told the board it had carried out field investigations including 3D scans and underground pipe checks and arrived at the final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) presented for approval.

Project schedule and scope: the superintendent’s team said Bedford Primary would be the earliest project, with site mobilization and foundations beginning in spring and a target to complete the primary-school work by the end of 2025. The two auditorium renovations are phased to begin after the school year ends and run roughly 12 months each; the board was told both auditoriums will be offline for about a year during construction. Canopy and drainage work will be staged across two summer seasons to limit interruptions.

Budget and contingency: presenters said the updated price of $30,035,220 reflects a $211,302 reduction from an earlier construction limit of $30,246,522 and carries a contingency “a little under 3%” to address remaining unknowns, particularly where underground utilities and data conduits must be relocated. The team noted potential additional savings from direct owner purchasing during procurement.

Community impacts and mitigations: Stanton River’s program managers said about five to six parking spaces at that campus will be impacted by the addition; the design team said lost stalls will be replaced in kind where feasible. The board and presenters stressed that student safety and uninterrupted access paths would be prioritized during construction, and that temporary storage and alternative performance venues (for example, Susie Gibson) are being identified for programs displaced while auditoriums are renovated.

Board action: a motion to approve the PPEA/PPA final cost and GMP for the projects passed without recorded roll-call tallies; the board chair announced the measure as approved.

Next steps: with board approval the county expects Jamerson Lewis to move forward with trade partner commitments and to finalize 100% contract documents for submission to the state to draw down loan funds and proceed to construction procurement. The board said the PPA committee will continue to provide oversight during the life of the projects.

Sources: Jamerson Lewis Construction and Dominion 7 presented the designs and cost information during the Jan. 9 meeting; the board recorded its approval that evening.