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Kalamazoo County names Miller Davis preferred construction manager for downtown parking structure after competitive process
Summary
After a structured RFP and interview process, the county’s evaluation team recommended Miller Davis over Elite Companies to serve as construction manager-at-risk for a downtown parking structure; commissioners signaled consensus to move forward with contract negotiations.
Kalamazoo County administrators recommended Miller Davis as the construction manager-at-risk (CMAR) for a planned downtown parking structure after a competitive procurement and structured evaluation process presented to the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7.
Purchasing Manager Barbosa summarized the county’s new procurement way: evaluators independently scored written proposals, then conducted structured interviews and reconvened for consensus scoring. Two finalists — Miller Davis and Elite Companies — were invited to interviews and each responded to identical questions. Scores were close: Miller Davis earned the highest overall score (694) and Elite Companies scored 689.
Barbosa told the board Miller Davis’ bid and team were judged to offer stronger local experience and deeper technical expertise with parking structures. Evaluators cited Miller Davis’ detailed traffic-control plan that keeps Metro bus routes and public access open during construction, an experienced project leadership team with specialized parking-structure expertise and transparent, itemized general-condition costs that reduce cost-variance risk. Elite Companies was praised for strong workforce-development commitments, community engagement and local subcontractor coordination but its general-conditions costs were less itemized and its parking-structure track record was judged comparatively smaller.
Commissioners gave the administration direction by consensus to prepare a contract with Miller Davis and move forward on negotiations. Vice Chair Taylor and a majority of commissioners said the Miller Davis proposal provided the predictability and technical strength the county needs for a complicated downtown project. Administrator Dr. Caitlin and staff will prepare contract documents for subsequent board action.
No formal roll-call award vote was recorded on Oct. 7; commissioners indicated a clear consensus and asked administration to draft the contract for board approval.
