Board outlines facilities steering committee, staff says CMAR procurement and contingencies will limit surprise costs
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Summary
During a facilities update, staff proposed a small steering committee to oversee design and to provide monthly updates; staff described using a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) delivery model, contingency budgets and guaranteed maximum pricing to reduce the risk of unexpected construction cost increases.
Board members and staff spent significant time discussing the proposed facilities steering committee and construction procurement approach at the Jan. 5 meeting.
Staff presented a draft charge for a small steering committee to oversee design decisions, ensure projects align with district priorities established in 2024, and keep projects on schedule and on budget. The steering committee is proposed as an administrative group that would include the facilities supervisor (named in the packet), the business/finance director, Tim Erickson, the district’s architect and the construction manager; the committee would provide monthly updates to the board facilities committee and present at key milestones.
A board member cited a published example of a district that, after state sign-off, faced approximately $300,000 in additional contractor-driven change orders for code- or site-related items. Staff responded that the district plans to use a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) delivery model: the construction manager will hold contracts with subcontractors and work with the district to develop a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) later in the design process. Staff said that bringing the construction manager on early, performing investigative work to identify conditions behind walls, and building contingency into conceptual budgets are intended to reduce the likelihood of large, unbudgeted costs.
Staff also described separate task forces for project-level design work (safety and security, athletics, innovation hub, fine arts) and said principals and program leaders will participate on task forces while the steering committee remains small for scheduling efficiency. Staff committed to monthly (and potentially more frequent) updates from architects and construction management through schematic design, conceptual design and construction documents.
No formal vote was required on the charge at the Jan. 5 meeting; staff asked the board for feedback and said they would bring a finalized charge for approval at a later meeting.