Small firms network with contractors involved in HISD bond program

Architectural and engineering firms who are designing HISD’s newest facilities showcased their projects Wednesday at a meet-and-greet at Carnegie Vanguard High School. The event was held to encourage local small firms to take part in design work for schools being built under the district’s 2012 bond program.

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“This is a good mechanism for meeting people, putting design teams together, and finding out what projects are coming up for HISD,” said architect Robert Adams of Robert Adams, Inc., an architectural and planning firm with an HISD contract to renovate restrooms at three middle schools.

Beginning Monday, HISD will accept bids for design work for schools listed in Phase 3 and 4, the last phases of the district’s $1.89 billion bond program to rebuild and modernize schools across the city. The district will hold a pre-bid meeting on June 23 to provide an overview of the projects in those phases. The deadline to submit bids is scheduled for early July.

Lisa Murray of Mosaic Design & Specifications plans to submit a bid proposal to do architectural specification work for projects in Phase 3 and 4. She’s worked on higher education design projects and is looking to break into K-12 design.

“I’ve been able to meet face-to-face with architects and program managers working for HISD that I could possibly work with one day, so that’s exciting,” Murray said.

HISD General Manager of Business Assistance Alexis Licata was pleased with the new partnerships that formed in the initial bond phases among design and construction firms, including minority- and women-owned business enterprises.

“I really look forward to seeing that in Phase 3 and 4, too,” Licata said. “That is why this event is important – so we can provide an opportunity for smaller and local architectural firms to meet larger firms that have experience in our bond program.”

Pre-Bid Meeting for Phase 3 and 4 Bond Projects
10 a.m., Monday, June 23
HISD Construction & Facility Services, 1417 Houston Ave.
*Bid will be available for download on Monday, June 16 here.