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ITEM : F.6. Remove Bowen & Watson as Construction Manager for New High School - Joe Perno | ||
Recommendation | ||
The Superintendent recommended the removal of Bowen & Watson as Construction Manager (CM) on the new high school project and solicitation of a new CM. | ||
Summary | ||
System Operations has met with Bowen & Watson on multiple occasions from the very start of the project until now to make sure our expectations were understood. Each time we have been assured that Bowen & Watson was committed to providing the level of service expected and that which is outlined within the request for proposal and contract documents. These commitments have not been met and further time to turn things around is a luxury we can no longer afford. We have consulted with legal counsel and a re-advertisement of the request for proposal is required because of the length of time that has passed since Bowen & Watson was first approved in January of 2018. Our plan will be to advertise from early September to Early October (28 days required). Review proposals mid-October and bring forth a recommendation on a new construction manager at the October work session. This actually does not impact our overall initial building construction schedule. However, further delay in this course of action would create an impact on our schedule. | ||
Financial Impact | ||
There is a 0 dollar cost for pre-construction services so there is no financial obligation on the part of the Barrow County School System when it comes to parting ways with this firm. It is our hope and belief that with site drawings complete and architectural drawings at 50% complete contractors will find this to be an attractive project and will therefore provide very competitive terms for managing it | ||
Rationale | ||
Bowen & Watson has not been responsive to the requirements and needs of our district as identified in our request for proposal / contract and their subsequent response to same. Members of the CM project team as proposed have not operated consistently in those roles. Continuity between proposed team members has not been maintained creating inadequate and inconsistent responses to required budget and constructability review questions. BCSS staff has had to make up for these shortfalls and we cannot continue to do this particularly in light of other projects that we must manage. Poor service associated with a warranty issue on another building also raises serious questions in our minds about how such items will be handled during construction and the subsequent warranty period of the new high school building. |
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