Agawam High School

Building Project

Project Schedule

Massachusetts Schools Building Authority (MSBA) Process

Module 1: Eligibility Period

Once the MSBA Board of Directors votes to invite a District into the Eligibility Period, a 270-day period is initiated for the District to complete certain preliminary requirements that include: 1) a certification of the District’s understanding of the grant program rules by executing an Initial Compliance Certification; 2) forming a School Building Committee and submitting the membership to the MSBA for acceptance; 3) a summary of the District’s existing maintenance practices; 4) certification of a design enrollment for the proposed project agreed upon with the MSBA (may not be applicable for Repair Assessments depending on the proposed scope of work); 5) confirmation of community authorization and funding to proceed (see MSBA Vote Requirements); and, 6) execution of the MSBA’s standard Feasibility Study Agreement, which establishes a process for the District to be reimbursed for eligible expenses.

Module 2: Forming the Project Team

Once all of the Pre-Requisites have been completed to the satisfaction of the MSBA, the District procures the team of professionals utilizing MSBA specific procurement processes and standard Request for Services (“RFS”) templates and Contracts to work with the District as the proposed project advances through the MSBA’s grant process.

Module 3: Feasibility Study

Upon successful conclusion of procurement of Owner’s Project Management and Designer services in accordance with the procedures outlined under Module 2 – Forming the Project Team, the District and its team collaborate with the MSBA to document their educational program, generate an initial space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate preferred solution to the MSBA Board of Directors for their consideration. During this phase, the Owner’s Project Manager will submit, on behalf of the District and its Designer, a Preliminary Design Program and a Preferred Schematic Report. Approval by the MSBA Board of Directors is required for all projects to proceed into schematic design. Please refer to Module 4 – Schematic Design for additional information.

Module 4: Schematic Design

The District and its team develop a final design program and robust schematic design of sufficient detail to establish the scope, budget and schedule for the Proposed Project.

Module 5: Funding the Project

Based upon the completed Feasibility Study, the District and MSBA staff establish and document the project scope, budget, schedule, and MSBA financial participation to forward to the MSBA Board of Directors for their approval. Approval by the MSBA Board of Directors establishes the MSBA’s participation in the proposed project. Once the District secures community authorization and financial support, the MSBA and the District enter into a Project Funding Agreement, which defines the scope, budget and schedule for the Proposed Project.

Module 6: Detailed Design

The District and its team advance the design, generate construction documentation, procure bids and award a construction contract in accordance with the agreed upon project scope, budget and schedule as documented in the Project Funding Agreement, and the requirements contained in the MSBA’s standard contracts for Owner’s Project Management and Designer Services. The MSBA continues to monitor the project to ensure it remains on track and meets the expectation of both the District and the MSBA as defined in the Project Funding Agreement

Module 7: Construction

The MSBA continues to monitor progress of the project to confirm that it remains on track and meets the expectation of both the District and the MSBA as defined in the Project Funding Agreement.

Module 8: Completing the Project

The MSBA performs final audit to determine final total grant amounts and make final payment.

Current Expected Milestone Activities

DEC 2022 - MARCH 2023

Forming the Project Team

MAR - JUL 2023

Feasibility Study – Target Submission Date PDP (Preliminary Design Program) July 2023

JUL - OCT 2023

Feasibility Study – Target Submission Date PSR (Preferred Schematic Report) October 2023

PROJECT UPDATES

Schematic Design - Module 4

The High School project is now in Module 4 – Schematic Design. This phase will dictate the project budget and design that ultimately will be the basis of the Project Funding Agreement with the MSBA. The completed Schematic Design package will be submitted to the MSBA on May 2, 2024 and will be up for Board Approval at the June 26, 2024 MSBA Board of Directors meeting.

Part of the Schematic Design process also includes the procurement of a CM (Construction Manager) at Risk. This process started with public advertising of the project in December 2023, six very qualified CM firms submitted Qualification Statements and all firms were interviewed on February 14 & 15. Based on the ratings the final selection will be made by the CM-at-Risk Subcommittee the following days.

The project team submitted the Preliminary Design Program (PDP) to the MSBA on July 28, 2023, and received comments back from the MSBA which were responded to. The project team then submitted the Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) on October 26, 2023, and received formal comments back from the MSBA which were responded to on December 6, 2023.

Following the PSR submission, the project team and District then met with the FAS (Facilities Assessment Subcommittee) on November 15th, to introduce the project to the FAS group so they could make the recommendation to present at the MSBA Board of Directors meeting on December 13, when the MSBA Board of Directors unanimously voted that the Town of Agawam and the High School project was approved to proceed into schematic design.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MOST RECENT EVENTS

Community Forum #5

February 26, 2024 – 7pm at the Agawam Public Library

CM-r Subcommittee Meeting #3

February 15, 2024

CM-r Interviews

February 15, 2024

CM-r Interviews

February 14, 2024

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