Eddy County commissioners authorized staff to issue a request for proposals for a proposed new detention center after a presentation from the lead architects on Nov. 18. Gordon Massengill of Studio Southwest told the commission the team is at the 100% design stage and plans to advertise the construction solicitation immediately, receive proposals Jan. 12 and return to the board with a recommended award on Feb. 10.

The design presented is a 142,000-square-foot building with room on the site to add about 50,000 square feet in future housing units. Massengill said the architect team expanded the project after the 95% review and included site infrastructure work: two roads that will connect to Corrales and require a deceleration and acceleration lane per NMDOT, a fire loop around the campus, and street lights.

On cost, Massengill gave line-item estimates on the record: “The building itself is about a $101,000,000,” and the immediate site around it about $20,000,000, with off-site road work in the low millions, for a reported total of roughly $117,000,000 before markups. He also cited a modular, off-site-manufactured cell package priced around $8,500,000 and detailed contractor markups and contingencies the team used to produce a conservative estimate.

Architects warned that bonding capacity will limit which general contractors can bid on a project of this size. Massengill and other presenters said they expect some national firms to compete alongside qualified New Mexico firms and noted potential teaming arrangements where large lead contractors would hire local subcontractors.

Commissioners discussed schedule and duration; Massengill said construction is contractor-dependent but estimated a typical timeline of 24 to 36 months if supply chains and scheduling fall into place. After brief questions on phasing and contractor qualifications, the board moved and approved staff’s request to issue the RFP and begin the selection process.

The board did not take a final construction award at the meeting; the action was an authorization to solicit bids and evaluate proposals.

Ending

County staff said they will post the solicitation on the county portal and return to the commission with bid evaluations and a recommended intent to award at the Feb. 10 meeting.