Middletown council approves multiple trade awards as schools project advances on time and on budget

The Town of Middletown on Wednesday approved a set of construction trade awards and related contracts for the new Middletown middle–high school, the town's senior project manager said, while project managers emphasized the overall program remains on schedule and “on budget.”

Justin Bernard, senior project manager with Colliers Project Leaders, told the council that Gilbane, the construction manager at‑risk, and Colliers recommended awards after scope reviews and best‑and‑final pricing and that the trade packages would be presented in groups as part of the RTA process. “These trade packages were all bid out by Gilbane… Scope reviews were attended by Gilbane, Colliers, members of the school building committee, and the design team,” Bernard said.

The council approved a materials‑testing and special‑inspections contract with Prime Consulting for $175,520; a site‑work RTA (Package 31a) to DeGregorio Corporation for $12,174,000 (which includes an owner allowance of $2,675,000 for unsuitable soil disposal); a structural‑steel RTA to Shepherd Steel Company for $7,052,500 (including a $20,000 owner allowance for possible modifications); a concrete RTA to JL Marshall & Sons for $5,427,000; and a pre‑construction surveying contract with Falvey Associates for $11,250. Each item was presented with recommended alternates or allowances as appropriate and approved by the council.

The site‑work award to DeGregorio includes the owner allowance to cover disposal or reuse of soils that are “unsuitable” for building — a term project staff repeatedly clarified does not mean contaminated. Bernard said the town and Colliers expect to test soils and, if feasible, reuse them on other town properties. “Our goal is to keep it in town,” he said, adding the architect will be asked to prepare soil testing at the next meeting.

Officials described the RTA sequencing: the first group of packages for the elementary complex will come later in the month; for the high school and middle school, the first bid packages presented included site, concrete and steel tonight, with later rounds for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, elevators, millwork, food service and equipment. Bernard said there will be roughly 37–38 trade RTAs presented in groups of about six, and those six smaller guaranteed maximum price (GMP) segments will combine into the overall GMP for the projects.

Bernard and the project team reported the projects remain on schedule and within the project budget to date. A tentative groundbreaking for the high‑school/middle‑school complex was set for June 9 at about 10 a.m., pending final event logistics.

Participation goals and alternates: the site‑work package was presented with 4.75% Women Business Enterprise (WBE) participation and 2.3% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation. The structural‑steel package had no MBE participation but listed 20.77% WBE. The concrete package included 8.35% MBE and 8.94% WBE participation. Bernard also outlined which alternates were recommended for hold, approval or rejection for each package; several alternates were recommended to be held so the council could decide later based on the remaining budget.

On financing and process, the team reiterated that favorable numbers on early trade packages do not necessarily mean the final GMP will be under budget because later long‑lead items (glass, roofing membrane, finishes) can change costs. “I would caution… against using that word ‘under budget’ right now until the whole GMP is built,” a project representative said.

Votes at a glance: Prime Consulting — materials testing and special inspections — $175,520 — approved. DeGregorio Corp. — RTA 31a site‑work package — $12,174,000; owner allowance $2,675,000 (unsuitable soils) — approved. Shepherd Steel Company — RTA 05a structural steel — $7,052,500; $20,000 owner allowance — approved. JL Marshall & Sons — RTA 03a concrete — $5,427,000 — approved. Falvey Associates — RTA 99 pre‑construction surveying — $11,250 — approved.

Why it matters: The awards move the largest capital undertaking in recent Middletown history into the procurement and early construction phase. The council will continue to approve dozens of RTAs in coming meetings that together form the project GMP and direct how the town’s school construction funds and contractor participation goals will be allocated.

What comes next: Staff said additional RTA packages will be presented over the next meetings in staged groups. The architect and town administration will return with further details on soil testing, alternates, and other budget items for council review.