Board of Education to Consider Four More Contracts for 2012 Bond Work

Selected projects include construction manager at risk services for four high schools

Administrators are recommending that the HISD Board of Education authorize the district to negotiate contracts with three firms to provide construction manager at risk (CMAR) services on selected 2012 bond projects.

Those firms are:

Utilizing the CMAR contracting method helps HISD ensure a quality project by increasing coordination with the design team and establishing a guaranteed maximum price for construction, minimizing the potential for problems such as cost overruns.  CMAR also allows greater potential for subcontracting specialized work, increasing the number of potential business opportunities with the district.  Many of the 2012 bond program projects will be assigned CMARs due to the nature and complexity of the projects.

The selected firms were chosen from a pool of 20 contractors based upon several selection criteria, including qualifications, relevant experience, safety record, minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) plan, construction methodology and phasing strategy, and financial stability. In addition, qualified firms were invited for interviews and finalists asked to submitted cost proposals for construction services.

One of the three firms, Balfour/3Ci, is a joint venture with an M/WBE firm at 40 percent. The two other firms have committed to contracting 20 percent of their work to M/WBE consultants.

Additional recommendations will be brought to the Board of Education in the coming months on other 2012 bond program projects.

The Board of Education will consider the recommendations at its meeting at 8 a.m.  on July 18, 2013, in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th Street).