The North Kingstown School Committee approved a preconstruction agreement to retain Shawmut Construction as the construction manager at risk for the new Wickford Middle School and authorized a $100,000 preconstruction phase to support cost estimating and constructability review.

Sam, the owner's project manager from Peregrine, told the committee the district received six submissions in response to the RFP and invited four firms for interviews on Nov. 25. "Shawmut Construction was the top point getter," Sam said, adding that the $100,000 preconstruction agreement covers the first phase of work leading up to final design documents. If Shawmut remains the selected partner after design, the district will negotiate a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contract that would set the project's full cost.

The review committee that scored proposals included the superintendent, the town manager, a member of the building advisory committee, and the interim facilities director. Sam outlined that during the preconstruction phase Shawmut will perform cost estimating, constructability reviews, scheduling and weekly coordination with the superintendent and the working group.

The chair called the question after discussion and the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally. Administration said the school committee will be asked to approve subsequent stages, including the GMP, once design documents are complete later this summer.

Next steps: staff will return with a stage-3 package and a proposed GMP for committee consideration; no specific date for the GMP vote was provided.