Board approves RHS science-wing and athletic-complex bids; SM Wilson assigned as construction manager

The Rochester Board of Education voted to approve construction bid packages for the RHS science wing, student services and the outdoor athletic complex and to assign bid-package contract awards to construction manager SM Wilson. Trustees also approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) change order to fold bid package 2 into the project.

Board Chair called the motion to approve the bid packages and, after brief discussion and a roll-call vote, the board approved the recommendation to accept the presented bids and several alternates while rejecting two sub-base alternates. Greg of SM Wilson, a representative from the district's construction manager, said, "SM Wilson really did a great job at analyzing the budget in the beginning and being on target." The board credited the construction manager and the building committee for detailed pre-bid work.

The building committee update said the accepted alternates include a softball press box, a football locker-room addition and a turfed soccer field; two alternate sub-base options for football and soccer were rejected as not cost-effective. SM Wilson outlined a high-level schedule: subcontractor mobilization beginning in September, demolition in October, phased sitework timed around athletic seasons, and substantial completion roughly September 2025 with furniture and fit-out occurring into late 2025 and early 2026. One SM Wilson representative said the schedule targets "substantial completion" in September 2025.

The board and administrators discussed change-order oversight. Staff stated that SM Wilson will provide a listing of all change orders, and the board asked that any change order of $50,000 or more be brought to the full board for approval while smaller, routine change orders be handled by the building committee or by staff with notification. As explained during the meeting, the $50,000 threshold aligns with typical bidding limits and is intended to balance oversight and construction efficiency.

The assignment of contract awards to SM Wilson and the GMP amendment were moved, seconded and approved by roll call. The transcript does not provide a precise vote tally; minutes record that the motions carried following the roll calls called by the clerk. The board did not take further action on procurement details beyond approving the awards and the GMP change order at the meeting.

Next steps noted by staff include providing the board periodic lists of change orders, tighter cost estimates once drawdowns occur, and continued finance-committee review of larger financing or contract questions.