The Lakeland District board approved plans to publish a request for qualifications (RFQ) for legal services and to solicit responses for a construction-manager/general-contractor (CMGC) procurement for upcoming modernization projects.

Jessica, the district CFO, said the legal-services RFQ will be posted on the district website and in the Coeur d'Alene Press and that staff will email a targeted list of law firms that work with governmental entities. The board approved proceeding with the publication schedule, which includes two required insertions for some jurisdictions.

Trustees also approved publishing the CMGC solicitation after Jessica explained why the district prefers the CMGC model for the scope and timelines of several summer modernization projects. "With the dollar amount associated with these projects, it is what the state recommends," Jessica said, and added that CMGC allows the district to negotiate a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) so the selected contractor bears cost overruns above the GMP. Trustees asked whether the process allows selecting "the most capable contractor, not just the cheapest," and staff confirmed Idaho code supports qualifications-based selection for this model.

Staff said both solicitations will return to the board with evaluation rubrics and recommendations before any contract is signed. Trustees authorized the outreach and publication steps; motions carried on voice votes.