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Board hears staff, counsel debate construction delivery methods for Measure H
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Summary
District staff and bond counsel briefed trustees on construction delivery options for Measure H projects, with counsel highlighting lease–leaseback’s early-contractor benefits and trade-offs versus design–bid–build.
District staff and outside counsel briefed the Brea Olinda Unified School District Board on March 5 on how Measure H projects might be delivered and procured.
Rick Champion, assistant superintendent for business, and AALRR senior partner Brian W. Smith outlined common approaches — design–bid–build, design–build, construction manager and lease–leaseback — and the financial and oversight trade-offs for each. Smith told trustees lease–leaseback ‘‘provides preconstruction services and early contractor involvement that can reduce change orders and disputes’’ but cautioned it can cost more than the low‑bid model because selection emphasizes best value rather than the lowest price.
Trustees asked about contractor experience, whether subcontractor selection includes district review and whether a single contractor could run multiple Measure H projects. Counsel and staff said the district can structure RFQ/RFP criteria to require school‑project experience, involve the district in subcontractor selection and use either separate or a single contractor depending on capacity and evaluation outcomes.
No final procurement decision was made; staff said the board would decide delivery methods on a project‑by‑project basis and that smaller projects often use single‑prime contracts while large, complex projects may warrant lease–leaseback or construction‑management approaches.
The discussion will inform upcoming Measure H procurement steps, RFQ/RFP drafting and project‑specific recommendations to the board.
