Font ResizeAYER/SHIRLEY -- The ASRSD School Committee and its appointed Building Committee met in a special contrapuntal session Thursday night and confirmed by unanimous votes the CMR at Risk (Construction Manager) selected by the screening sub-committee.
Their pick was Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
According to the firm's website, Consigli was established as a family business in 1905 and is headquartered in Milford, MA, with offices in Williamston, MA, Portland, ME and Hartford, CT and an affiliate in Pleasant Valley, New York.
Before the votes, Superintendent Carl Mock sketched the selection process.
The screening committee considered five applications submitted in response to the Building Committee's request for letters of interest. With the field narrowed to three top choices, the group then interviewed the finalists, he said.
The interviews were conducted in public Wednesday night.
Mindful that the CMR's initial task would be to function as a cost estimator for the high school building project, the interviewers looked for those skills, Mock said.
The estimate is a key milestone in the second phase of the feasibility study and will be part of the next submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in August.
$35,000 was budgeted for this work, and Consigli came in below that amount, but the pick didn't completely hinge on that consideration.
School Finance Director Evan Katz asked screening committee
The firm gave a "fairly strong presentation," in addition to offering a rate that was below that of the next runner up, he was told.
"They had a better symbiotic relationship with the team," member Eric Olson said. He also sited the firm's thoughtful presentation relative to "problems we may encounter."
SMMA architect Joel Seely said Consligli came across strong in all roles.
Member Mitch Kahn cited the firm's experience with school renovations and additions, which is precisely what this building project is all about.
"These guys are us," Mock said in summation, echoing a note another group member had written on his note pad during the interviews. "That came through loud and clear."
With a quorum established for each committee, both votes were unanimous.
In terms of protocol, the Building Committee convened first and after hearing the sub-committee's report, voted to accept its recommendation, which in turn became its own recommendation to the School Committee.
With the Building Committee in recess, the School Committee then convened, accepted the recommendation by unanimous vote and adjourned, after which the Building Committee re-convened and continued with its regular meeting.
One of the topics they discussed was scheduling the next community information meeting, tentatively slated for July 26, in two weeks.
