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Pickens County commissioners authorize RFP to evaluate construction-manager-at-risk for SPLOST projects
Summary
The Pickens County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the chairman to issue an RFP to evaluate a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) procurement approach for three major SPLOST projects: Roper Park (including an aquatic center), a Public Safety Complex and the tax commissioner building. Staff will post the RFP to the state procurement site and return recommendations to the board.
The Pickens County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the chairman to initiate a request-for-proposal process to evaluate using a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) approach for three SPLOST-funded projects: Roper Park improvements including an aquatic center, a Public Safety Complex, and the tax commissioner’s building. The vote was called after a staff presentation of the procurement approach; the chair announced that the motion carried.
Bill Wood, the county’s director of external operations, told commissioners the CMAR approach brings the contractor into the design phase so the contractor can provide design input, lead subcontractor bidding and offer a guaranteed maximum price. "It will make the project timeline easier to manage. It may accelerate completion of the project, and then there are economic advantages as well," Wood said. He added that engineers from DCCM recommended evaluating the approach for the county’s projects.
Wood and other presenters contrasted CMAR with the county’s traditional approach, noting that under CMAR "the contractor commits to a guaranteed maximum price," which shifts some cost risk to the contractor and can reduce change orders. Commissioners asked whether contractors charge a premium for taking that risk; Wood replied that, when properly managed, the engineers do not expect a net premium and that the contractor’s percentage-based fee can be offset by design efficiencies.
The chair said the resolution authorizes staff to post the RFP to the state’s procurement ("pyramid") site and to collect proposals; any recommendation to retain a construction manager would be returned to the board for a public vote before selection. The board recorded the motion, heard discussion and then voted in favor; the chair directed staff to initiate the RFP process.
Provenance: Topic introduced by Bill Wood in the presentation to the board and concluded when the chair announced the motion carried. The RFP posting and required later public approval were explained on the record.
