Joint committees recommend Plant Moran RealPoint contract and $260,000 task order for countywide facilities study

Macomb County’s Joint Committee on Internal Services and Health and Human Services voted unanimously to recommend to the full Board of Commissioners a master service agreement (MSA) with Plant Moran RealPoint and an initial task order of $260,000 to perform a countywide capital planning and space needs assessment.

The committees were told the MSA standardizes contract terms so the county can issue task orders for specific projects more quickly. The first task order under the agreement would include a space‑needs assessment across county departments and facility condition assessments for county‑owned buildings, intended to inform budgeting, prioritize repairs, and guide long‑term capital decisions.

County staff described the study as a comprehensive effort that will evaluate current and projected spatial needs, inventory condition issues, identify safety or code concerns, and estimate repair and capital costs. Staff said the engagement will coordinate with previously completed work, including a near‑completion space study for the Circuit Court and recent assessments of specific facilities.

Commissioner Kraft said he opposed unnecessary spending generally but called the study “money well spent,” saying a countywide review should replace the piecemeal fixes the county has used in prior years. “We need to know what needs to be fixed, what is good, what is not good,” Kraft said.

Commissioner Sabatini told colleagues the county manages “about 2,000,000 square feet,” and said a countywide assessment is needed to shift from ad hoc repairs to strategic capital planning. County staff said the study’s maximum duration is 9 to 10 months.

Representatives of Plant Moran and Plant Moran RealPoint clarified the two are separate entities; Plant Moran RealPoint was described as a real‑estate consulting firm the county has used for capital initiatives since 2014. Staff said the $260,000 figure covers the initial task order (capital planning and space needs assessment) and that the MSA itself carries no up‑front cost beyond future task orders.

The committees voted 12‑0 to forward the MSA and the task order to the full board for final action.

Staff said the facility condition assessments will focus on county‑owned properties. Departments and affected units will be interviewed to determine actual staffing patterns and occupancy, including hybrid work and desk sharing considerations. The study will also account for facilities operated by other entities to the extent county ownership or responsibility applies.

If approved by the full board, the work would produce prioritized capital needs and cost estimates intended to inform future budget cycles and a multi‑year capital plan.