Board and county stress need to secure provider, RFP and licensing risks

Several board members said they preferred finding and contracting with an experienced provider before moving too far into construction so the operator could take responsibility for operating costs, utilities and day-to-day management. The presenter argued the district should "go out for the provider immediately" and run an RFP process so the operator can be in place before the building opens.

County staff warned that prelicensing and state licensing can take months and recommended contracting with providers who have prior experience and building contractual protections (for example, staged performance milestones or provisions allowing the district to replace a provider). County staff offered to help the district draft the RFP and scoring rubric to narrow applicants to those the board would want to prioritize.