Bids For The NHS Expansion Come In Under Budget

By Eliza Hallabeck

After an extra week to submit bids for the Newtown High School Expansion Project, the final bids were placed Tuesday afternoon, and the lowest bids total nearly $2 million under the original budget for the project.

Although the final cost to the town will not be known for a couple of weeks, the bid numbers can be used as an estimate for what the price for the construction may be in the end. The town voted for a budget of $38.8 million for the project in April, and the lowest bid packages now total just over $36 million.

Over the next couple of weeks, according to school district business manager Ronald Bienkowski, the Morganti Group, which is managing the construction project, will go through scope reviews for the project with the bidders. The real cost will not be known until the reviews are over, and after that other costs could accumulate.

Mr Bienkowski said the scope reviews happen to make sure each contractor has placed an accurate cost in for the project.

For instance, he said, “The biggest bid package was the general trades.” He said three contractors placed in bids more than $9 million dollars for that one package, but one contractor placed in a bid of $3.5 million.”

There were ten different bid packages the construction companies bid on. Some bid packages that were left out of the deadline, and the prices for those projects are still unknown. According to Mr Bienkowski, these projects include the athletic field and the green roof for the new laboratories.

Mr Bienkowski said the scope reviews will show which contractors can perform a job for a certain cost.

“That is where the scope reviews that Morganti does are very important,” said Mr Bienkowski.

He said low bids are not always in compliance with state law, and the scope reviews help to show which contractors will safely complete the project in the projected timeframe.

“Because this is a state reimbursed job, they need to qualify with what the state requires,” said Mr Bienkowski.

The deadline for the bids was July 22, but after multiple contractors requested an extension to the deadline, the Morganti Group changed the date to July 29.

Mr Bienkowski said it is important that the town pay attention to the reliability of a contractor’s bid.

“Some of the bids were under the budgeted numbers,” said Mr Bienkowski, “and some were over the expected bid numbers.”

Under the Morganti Group contract for the project, the group will get two and a half percent of the construction cost, with any additional costs determined when the project is over, according to Mr Bienkowski.

First Selectman Joe Borst said he expects the Morganti Group will go through the bids and review everything that needs to be inspected.

After the process of the scope reviews, the Board of Education will determine the final cost for the NHS Expansion Project, and the Office of Selectmen will then review and sign for the project.

“It’s going to be up to the Board of Education now,” said Mr Borst.

Mr Bienkowski said he is excited to see the NHS Expansion Project at this stage after working on it for years.

“I’m glad we are at this point in the process,” he said.

There is still multiple weeks of work to be done before the construction on the NHS Expansion Project can begin, and, according to Mr Bienkowski, the town may not see much physical work done before the summer is over.

“There’s a certain excitement to see it in this stage,” Mr Bienkowski said. “Even though it won’t be seen this summer.”