Construction Manager Reports and Newsletters

Where we are:

• Bids received March 23^rd
• $5.6 Million over the project budget of $92.8 Million
• Filed Sub Bids $1.1M over budget
• Major overruns: HVAC ($1.6M), Electrical ($468k), and Miscellaneous Metals ($300k)
• Non-filed Bids $4.5M over budget
• Major overruns: Steel, concrete, drywall, millwork, curtainwall, and landscaping 

Significant value management (VM) across many trades is required to get the project back within budget. The Team has developed a VM list that that will ensure bids do not come in over budget when the project goes back out to bid. Currently, the priced items total approximately $7.1M. 

• Identified significant Value Engineering items –
• no significant educational impacts – all changes reviewed with the School
• building will still be Fossil Fuel Free 

• Architecture
• Simplify interior finishes without sacrificing acoustical performance. Reduce wood trim.
• Simplify geometry without affecting room sizes
• Remove residual exterior sunshade / trellis
• Remove canopy at Washington Street entrance
• Simplify exterior window system
• Simplify exterior details and materials without affecting performance
• Simplify project area and break out space geometry
• Remove balcony at Media Center 

• Structure
• Simplify exterior perimeter details
• Lower floor to floor heights by 8” at upper floors
• Simplify concrete pours where possible 

• HVAC
• Bring scope in line with Ridley, without affecting comfort or air changes per hour
• Simplify metering and controls
• Substitute radiant ceiling panels for radiant light shelves
• Simplify diffuser connection at curved classroom wall 

• Electrical
• Bring scope in line with Ridley
• Simplify metering and controls
• Remove Audio Visual scope from construction documents and purchase through the Project’s soft cost FF&E/Technology budget

• Landscape
• Simplify materials such as railings and site furniture without affecting playgrounds or longevity
• Reduce size, quantity, and type of boulders
• Simplify concrete finishes
• Reduce density of shrub / perennial plantings
• Remove pergola structure

How we got here:

It’s important to understand that this project followed a process that received more cost input than is typical. Below are some of the steps the project took to ensure cost certainty at bid time:

• Estimates were provided early at 50% DD rather than relying solely on the customary 100% DD estimate
• Additional estimates were conducted at the 100% DD, 60% CD, and 90% CD milestones
• The 60% estimate included a 3^rd estimator
• A market study was completed at the end of 2020 to better understand where the market was headed in these unprecedented times
• When necessary along the way, the project preformed VM studies to bring the project back within budget 

Potential contributing factors for bids coming in higher than anticipated include:

• The major inflation spike that the market is currently going through, which was not obvious even 6-8 weeks ago
• Significant increases in the price of copper, steel, lumber
• Even with multiple estimators reviewing the same drawings, the estimates don’t seem to have captured the more challenging aspects of the design of the project
• VM items decrease customization and create more efficiency for manufacturing parts and during installation
• The bid process included six addenda, which may have complicated the pricing exercise
• This issue will be resolved in the next round of bidding as JLA will be issuing a conformed set of documents that include the information issued by addenda in the first round of bidding 

Next steps: 

To achieve the above and maintain a September 2023 school opening, the team will follow the timeline below: 

• April 16^th – Jonathan Levi Architects (JLA) provided a new set of construction documents
• April 22^nd – Documents became available to bidders
• May 13^th – Bids are due
• Week of May 24^th – Gilbane GMP to be approved by Building Commission, School Committee, Select Board
• Mid-June – Gilbane mobilizes and begins construction onsite