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School board approves Stratus to begin design work for new Columbia High School
Summary
The Columbia County School Board voted to approve an RFQ award letter selecting Stratus as the top-ranked firm to begin contract negotiations for the new Columbia High School; staff said Phase 1 plans must be submitted by June 1 for board review before a June 18 Department of Education meeting.
The Columbia County School Board voted to approve an RFQ award letter selecting Stratus as the top-ranked firm to begin contract negotiations and preliminary design work for the new Columbia High School. Board members approved the action with no monetary commitments at the March meeting.
District staff who led the interview process told the board that eight firms applied for the RFQ and five teams were invited for interviews consisting of 30-minute presentations followed by 15-minute question-and-answer sessions. The interview team used the RFQ scoring criteria and recommended Stratus based on experience with school projects, team composition and how firms proposed to handle changes during construction.
"Stratus was the number one candidate," the district RFQ lead said, explaining the recommendation was unanimous among the interview committee. A member of the RFQ team, Mr. Gaylord, said the recommended firm presented a site model and a conceptual approach to pricing during its interview. "They came to the table with their presentation, and they actually had a model and where it was placed on-site. Very impressive," Gaylord said.
Staff emphasized no contract or budget appropriation was before the board that night. The district requested Phase 1 documents — described as initial floor plans and life-safety documents rather than complete construction drawings — be submitted for board review by June 1 so the board could approve them before a June 18 meeting with the state Department of Education.
Jose Marguitto, who identified himself as a vice president of Stratus during public comment, thanked the board for the opportunity and said the firm was excited to continue serving the county.
The board approved the RFQ award letter to Stratus after a brief period of questions about criteria and firm experience. No vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript; the chair stated the motion carried and the item was approved.
Next steps: staff said they will begin contract negotiations with Stratus and return to the board with Phase 1 documents for review and approval.
