Chandler selects Willmeng for preconstruction work on new forensic lab funded by 2020 bond

City staff told the Chandler City Council on Sept. 15 that they will seek approval of a construction manager at risk (CMAR) preconstruction services agreement with Willmeng Construction for a new forensic services facility funded largely by the 2020 Public Safety Bond.

Alicia Rosenberg, forensic services senior manager, said the existing laboratory—located inside the main police department and constructed in 1999—offers about 5,500 square feet and lacks the infrastructure needed to support expanded or newer forensic technologies, including in‑house DNA analysis. Rosenberg said bringing DNA and enhanced digital forensics in‑house will create additional investigative leads and reduce reliance on the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which staff described as overburdened.

The proposed facility is at concept site plan stage and would be located off Pecos Road on a secure campus connected to the city’s property-and-evidence building to allow secure transfer of evidence directly into the new lab. Rosenberg listed current 24/7 services (crime scene response, fingerprint and blood alcohol analysis, seized drugs analysis and latent fingerprint processing) and said the new laboratory would add DNA testing, expanded blood‑drug analysis and enhanced computer/digital evidence examination.

Dan Haskins, capital projects manager, described the CMAR procurement. The city received eight statements of qualifications and advanced four teams to interviews; the four interviewed teams were Willmeng, CORE, Oakland and Mortensen. A seven‑member subcommittee (city CIP staff, police representatives and an unaffiliated contractor representative) scored interviews independently and ranked Willmeng highest. Haskins said the subcommittee followed Arizona statutes for qualifications‑based selection and that the selected preconstruction services contract will not include an adviser who had been listed during the SOQ stage; staff told council the adviser will not be part of preconstruction or the construction contract.

Council members asked about process transparency and cost. Haskins and Rosenberg explained the CMAR process: staff will negotiate preconstruction services and then receive cost estimates and a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) later in design; state statute limits disclosure of certain dollar information until a GMP is negotiated with the selected firm. One council member asked about the overall project budget; a council member referenced a figure “close to $60,000,000” that was discussed in the session as an engineer/earlier estimate; staff said an exact GMP is not available at the preconstruction stage.

Staff presented the preconstruction contract for council review in the study session; no final vote occurred that evening. Staff said they will return with the preconstruction agreement and subsequent GMP recommendation for formal approval at a future council meeting.