The Town of Millis School Building Committee voted unanimously Dec. 17 to approve two major consultant contracts needed to move the recently voter-approved school project into design and procurement.

Chair Richard Nichols moved to approve the owner’s project manager contract (Vertex) and later moved approval of the design contract for TAP A, both of which passed by unanimous vote after roll call. Committee members also discussed timing for the construction-manager (CM) procurement: proposals are due next week, a prequalification committee will review them over the holiday break, and the building committee expects to shortlist firms and issue a second-stage request for qualifications in mid-January.

The approvals followed staff briefings placing the proposed fees in MSBA peer context: Vertex’s OPM fee was shown near MSBA historical ranges and TAP A’s design fee was presented as consistent with comparable phased/occupied renovation projects. Staff told the committee that some reimbursable scopes (hazmat, geotech, site survey) will be tabled for separate authorization pending final quotes.

The committee also recorded a potential conflict of interest: Chair Nichols said member Al Valtor works for Commodore, a firm that responded to the CM walkthrough; Nichols directed Valtor to file a disclosure and to refrain from participating in the small committee that will shortlist bidders in any competition that includes Commodore.

Staff outlined the CM schedule: prequalification review Jan. 6, interviews in late February, and expected CM engagement by the second week of March to support cost estimating and bid packaging. Staff said the MSBA will deliver two documents — a project scope and budget agreement plus a project funding agreement — in January; those documents finalize the MSBA scope and trigger state reimbursements once signed.

The committee’s motions and vote tallies were taken by roll call on the record and recorded as unanimous. The committee also agreed to return to the agenda for remaining reimbursable approvals and scheduling details in upcoming meetings.