Board endorses Retson as design‑build firm for new tech/PAR building, staff seek up to $105,000 for plans

Moore County Schools staff asked the Board of Education Nov. 3 to endorse Retson as the district’s design‑build firm for a replacement technology and planning, accountability and research (PAR) building and to authorize development of plans so the district will have cost and site information ready when a location is chosen.

Miss Purvis described the RFQ process and staff recommendation: four firms submitted qualifications and staff selected Retson as the best fit based on local experience on school projects and other commercial work. "What you're endorsing today is just the use of Retson as our design build firm for this project, and you're authorizing the ability to move forward with planned development and when the final site is determined, the development of a site plan," Purvis said. Staff framed the requested authorization as limited to design work: up to $50,000 for architectural plans and up to $55,000 for site plans, for a total not to exceed $105,000 without additional board approval.

Board members asked whether Retson could meet timeframes and how the district would separate architectural work from site planning if the site remains under discussion. Purvis said Retson is a local but broadly capable firm and estimated an overall building cost in the neighborhood of $3,300,000 in a worst‑case scenario (which included about $990,000 for site development), while noting that staff do not expect that full worst‑case cost if the building is placed on the recently acquired parcel. Purvis also said the building footprint is expected to be approximately 12,500 square feet and that, once a site is chosen, a design‑build approach could produce a completed building within roughly six months after permits are secured.

Several trustees encouraged continued staff engagement with principals and departmental users during design development to ensure spaces meet operational needs; one trustee asked construction committee members to consider reuse or disposition of the district’s current warehouse site. Staff said a final construction plan and the construction contract would come back to the board for formal approval.

Because the board discussed the endorsement at a work session and staff framed the request as an endorsement and authorization to develop plans, the board did not take a formal construction contract vote on Nov. 3. Staff will return with a final site plan and construction amount for board approval when they are ready.