Macon County to solicit Construction Manager-at-Risk for Highlands School renovation

The Macon County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 10 to solicit a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Construction Manager at Risk (CM at Risk) to oversee a phased renovation of Highlands School.

Paul Boney of architect firm LS3P told the board previously received construction bids were “significantly over budget” and recommended selecting a CM at Risk by qualifications rather than low bid. He said a CM at Risk would work within a county-established budget, manage procurement and allow early purchase of long lead-time items such as HVAC equipment, windows and doors to reduce cost pressure from inflation.

The county plans to break work into three phases: Phase I (mechanical systems, windows, roof and doors), Phase II (the Highlands Pre-K project) and Phase III (additional renovations funded from the county Repair and Renovation Fund). Finance Director Lori Carpenter reported that $63,430 of a requested $697,730 had already been encumbered for planning and design; the Repair and Renovation Fund balance was reported as $754,993.02. Carpenter also said $165,377 had been budgeted for design development and construction documents for the Highlands Pre-K portion.

Commissioner Young moved to solicit the RFQ; Commissioner Shields seconded the motion, and the board voted unanimously to proceed. The solicitation is intended to gather qualified firms and accelerate procurement of long‑lead materials while the design team finalizes drawings.

Boney said LS3P will display schematic drawings, floor plans and interior renderings at a Community Input Session scheduled for Oct. 19, 2023, at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building and that the team would try to make a virtual tour available for those who cannot attend in person.

Next steps: staff will post the RFQ and return to the board with the results and recommended procurement timeline.