Hamilton County to use construction-manager-at-risk for Gateway CTE renovation

Hamilton County commissioners were notified that the Hamilton County Board of Education will use a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) procurement method for renovations at the Gateway Career & Technical Education (CTE) building.

Todd (county staff) said CMAR is a delivery method that allows the school system to negotiate with a construction manager during the construction-document phase and then arrive at a guaranteed maximum price, providing more cost clarity than a traditional design-bid delivery. "It negotiates with a construction manager during the construction document phase that then comes to a guaranteed maximum price," he said.

Commissioners pressed staff on programming associated with the facility. A commissioner asked whether Volkswagen-related programming had been identified; a school representative said proposed pathways include robotics and STEM tied to Volkswagen, a construction-entry pathway and entrepreneurship tracks. The representative said the planned pathway would link from grades 9–12 into Chattanooga State and then to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Supporters argued CMAR can stretch project dollars and limit cost overruns; one commissioner said the method has worked well in other communities. Staff said the decision is intended to give the Board of Education more certainty on final construction costs.

The commission acknowledged the procurement method and did not raise objection to the school board using CMAR for the Gateway renovation. Next steps are for the Board of Education to procure a construction manager using the CMAR process and to return details of the contract and guaranteed maximum price as the procurement proceeds.