To begin the process you will need to issue a request for proposals, with a deadline for receiving written responses. (usually 10 days - 2 weeks)
The County BOE may choose to either, (A) Hire a firm based on the written responses to the RFP, or (B) to conduct additional interviews and then hire.
Once hired, we meet with the County Mayor and appropriate County Commission leader or leaders to inform them of the intention of the Board and receive their buy in. County Commissions like the price and cost control aspects of this system; therefore, getting funding approved will be smooth when they see our results.
Our design/build team will translate the BOE?s wishes for an addition and/or new school into schematic designs and establish an acceptable budget as an economic guide for the building program, creating financial controls at the inception of design. The County BOE designates a representative to sit in on all of the planning and design meetings. All persons that the BOE wants can be consulted/involved during design of their portions of the program development. The design/build team will control cost/scope from the beginning (a much better situation than turning an architect loose and ending up with low bids that are much higher than your budget, as you have recently experienced.) The program needs of the school system are included, but not the unmanaged desires of an architect.
When the final plans are approved by the Director of Schools and the BOE, we take them to the open competitive bid market and bring the BOE our best estimate for final approval. Once this approval has been met we take the BOE?s request for these funds to the County Commission for approval and provide the BOE attorney with the development documents which lock in the deal.
Then, and only then, is the completed package taken to the PBA for approval. The County attorney informs the PBA that everything is in order and they approve the program in a meeting that should last less than ten minutes. In this process, it is unnecessary and redundant at best for the PBA to have any deeper involvement, because the Director of Schools and School Board will be fully engaged, informed and involved in every step of the process.
The development documents will contain a mutually agreed reporting structure whereby the development team would regularly provide the Director of Schools or his designee with (1) work completed progress report, (2) cost position, (3) schedule updates, (4) action items. This reporting will be tailored for the convenience of the school system. The development document will also include requirements for substantial completion, punch list, final close-out, and warranty.
Every Hewlett Spencer project is staffed by a full time construction superintendent with a minimum of 20 years experience. Licensed engineers of every discipline involved visit the jobsite weekly to insure the quality and correctness of the installed elements of construction.
No structural component (concrete, steel, masonry, etc) is ever installed without first being inspected by a member of the design team. Concrete, asphalt, mortar and reinforcing steel are all monitored and quality tested by an independent testing lab.
Finally, all work is certified monthly by a state licensed independent inspecting engineer who reports directly to County BOE.
Please note that it is very easy for people to say "we will guarantee our bid or our price". Some will even say "We do it all the time", then they don't guarantee no change orders or they highly qualify exceptions that allow them to submit change orders.
The Legal and Financial structure we provide to you prohibits us, our contractor and sub-contractors, suppliers, architect and engineers from submitting any requests for change orders at risk.