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Hall County board authorizes moving ahead with RFP for construction manager at risk for courthouse expansion
Summary
After an update from the architect, the Hall County Board approved preparing an RFP for a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) delivery, appointed a review committee and directed architects to help draft the solicitation; the CMAR approval motion passed 5–2.
Architects from Davis Design updated the board on progress — scanned historic plans, soil borings, security and IT coordination — and reiterated the need to integrate courtroom technology and security into design work. The board discussed procurement options and the possible benefit of a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to control cost exposure and provide constructability input during design.
Commissioners debated advantages and downsides: proponents said earlier contractor involvement can yield cost-saving constructability input; skeptics warned the CMAR model can lock in a guaranteed maximum price that could limit flexibility. The board voted to authorize putting together an RFP to solicit CMAR proposals, to appoint a review committee to pre-screen proposals and to ask the architects to assist in preparing the RFP documents. That motion carried on a 5–2 vote.
Why it matters: The board is pursuing a major courthouse expansion estimated in planning documents with an upper placeholder in the meeting roughly described as $40 million; choosing a delivery method and engaging a CMAR will shape costs, risk allocation and the schedule.
Next steps: The review committee and the architects will finalize an RFP and return candidate proposals and a short list for board interviews; the county also discussed potential guaranteed maximum price language and alternatives if bids exceed budget.
