DeKalb County school board approves $5.63 million contract for capital improvement planning

The DeKalb County Board of Education voted 4-3 on Jan. 24, 2025, to award RFP 25-752-004 for capital improvement program planning and management services to Hoare Program Management, LLC, approving a year‑one not‑to‑exceed amount of $5,630,326.

Eric Hofstetter, chief operating officer for the DeKalb County School District, presented the item and asked the board to approve the award. "It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the award of RFP number 25Dash752Dash004, capital improvement program planning and management services to Hoare Program Management, LLC," Hofstetter said. He added, "The board has requested to approve a not to exceed amount of $5,630,326 for capital improvement planning in year 1 of capital improvement program management services."

Hofstetter told the board the contract combines several capital improvement program (CIP) services — including CIP planning, facility needs assessment and CIP program management — into a single contract. He said combining services should allow "more efficient flow of information and alignment as capital improvement needs are identified and prioritized," and that the annual cost will vary as projects are completed and new projects are approved. Hofstetter said year‑one services would be funded by a source the transcript records as "East Bloss 6 grama management," and that the funding source will be re‑confirmed each year or changed if that funding becomes insufficient.

When the chair asked for a motion to approve the item, a board member moved and the motion was seconded by Mr. Ziffer, according to the meeting record. The chair called a show‑of‑hands vote and announced the result as 4 in favor and 3 opposed; the chair declared the motion passed. The transcript does not identify individual yes or no votes by name.

The board placed the item on the consent agenda as requested by operations. After the vote the chair concluded the board's business and adjourned the Jan. 24, 2025 virtual meeting.

Details recorded in the meeting transcript indicate the district expects the contractor to begin data collection and planning for the district's next major capital funding cycle, which Hofstetter said begins in July 2027. The transcript uses several garbled names for funding and program labels; the district's official contract documents and the finalized agenda should be consulted for the authoritative contract text, funding code and vendor documents.