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Somerville staff shortlist four firms for owner's project manager as MSBA timeline proceeds
Summary
City infrastructure staff told the joint Somerville City Council and School Committee panel that nine firms applied to be the owner's project manager (OPM) for the Winter Hill and Brown School MSBA project; four were shortlisted for interviews ahead of the MSBA's May meeting.
Somerville infrastructure officials told a joint meeting of the City Council's School Building Facilities and Maintenance Committee and the School Committee on March 31 that the Massachusetts School Building Authority process for the Winter Hill and Brown School projects is on schedule and that the city has advanced selection of an owner's project manager (OPM).
Richard Raesch, director of infrastructure and asset management, said the city released a request for services for an OPM, received nine submittals and shortlisted four firms for interviews. He said interviews are scheduled for the coming Wednesday, with a selection committee reconvening Thursday to pick its top choice so the city can meet MSBA deadlines for the May MSBA meeting.
The selection process described to the committee is limited to the OPM phase; Raesch told members that MSBA rules do not require the locally convened school building committee to participate in the OPM selection, although the committee must have input on the designer selection later in the process. Raesch and other staff said the composition of Somerville's OPM selection committee mirrors the high school OPM committee used about a decade ago and includes the procurement chief, finance director, a representative from the mayor's office and other procurement and construction officials.
Councilors pressed staff on whether the school building committee would be involved. Raesch and other staff said it was not required by MSBA for OPM selection and that the city was proceeding to meet MSBA timing targets. Staff also said the school building committee is the formal body created under state law and that design selection (the next step) does require the committee's role.
Chair Lance Davis and committee members said they would leave the item in committee and expect a further update at the next scheduled meeting.
The meeting record shows this was an informational update; no council vote or formal directive to the administration was recorded on the OPM selection at this session.
