Six B.C. firms have responded to the Request for Qualifications issued by the Greater Victoria School District in mid July to build a new Oak Bay High.
The firms are vying to design and build the new school, a project that’s slated to begin in the summer of 2013.
The six firms that have submitted bids have provided details on the design-build team that they would use to complete the project. Those details include the names of the proposed building contractor, an architect, consulting engineers and major trades, all of which will work together to design and construct the new school. A project team, appointed by the school district, will now evaluate the bids on the basis of who the companies propose to involve in the project and the relative experience in design and construction demonstrated by the various bidders.
“The design-build concept is a different approach from the traditional tender process,” said Doug Hibbins, procurement manager of the Oak Bay High School Replacement Project. “Having the design work done in conjunction with the contractor can create a synergy that can improve the whole project.”
In the tender process the design and construction processes are separate and the lowest bid for a construction tender is generally awarded the project.
Hibbins said the design-build approach has now been used on a number of school replacements with excellent results.
However, the bidding process isn’t over. Three of the companies will be invited to submit comprehensive proposals in response to a request for proposals (RFP). That RFP will be issued this fall, and will require a far more comprehensive plan to meet the functional requirements of the new school.
The school district expects to receive those bids early in 2013.
“It’s really a matter of ensuring that we get the greatest value,” said Hibbins. “The budget is fixed. It’s about what you can get for the money.”
More information on the new Oak Bay High can be found at oakbay.sd61.bc.ca.