Council approves $5.5M guaranteed maximum price for Florence Gray Center renovations; bidders, selection process questioned

The council approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) amendment of $5,500,000 for renovations to the Florence Gray Center under a construction manager-at-risk contract with Alberg Construction. Director Theresa Crean said funding is fully supported by a $7,500,000 award from the Rhode Island Pandemic Recovery Office and that no municipal funds are required for the project.

Manny Ferreira, owner’s project manager from KCM Group, told the council the city issued a public bid at schematic design and received five construction-management firm proposals; Alberg Construction ranked highest on combined technical and pricing criteria and was selected. Several councilors pressed for more transparency about the selection committee and bidder submissions and asked whether state or federal officials who provided grant funding participated in selection; staff said the Pandemic Recovery Office was informed and that the city served as fiscal agent for compliance but that state or federal reviewers did not sit on the local selection panel. Council approved the GMP amendment by a recorded show of hands (vote recorded as 6–1 at the meeting).