Now that Harpswell voters have approved building a $6 million municipal fire and rescue station on Mountain Road, town leaders are hoping to hire a professional manager early in the process to help keep the project on schedule and within budget.
Town Administrator Kristi Eiane told the Select Board at its meeting on Wednesday, June 25, that town staff favor pursuing a “construction management at risk” approach. The project’s architect, Portland-based Port City Architecture, has strongly recommended it.
The approach involves hiring a construction manager to collaborate with the architect, line up subcontractors, and steer the project through to completion — while committing to finish the work for a set maximum price, barring major changes.
Once major details of the project are agreed upon, the construction manager would transition into the role of general contractor, taking on the responsibility of managing construction and the risk of cost overruns.
“You essentially select your general contractor up front, for basically this guaranteed price,” Eiane told the Select Board.
Mike Drake, Harpswell’s fire administrator and emergency management agent, said that unlike the traditional “design, bid, build” process for capital projects such as the fire station, construction management at risk increases the contractor’s accountability.
“Having this contractor that’s kind of liable for the price, I think it’s beneficial for the town,” Drake told the Select Board.
Eiane said it will take time for Harpswell to secure a voter-approved $6 million bond for the project, but the town has $60,000 left over from the planning phase that could be used to hire a construction manager right away.
The Select Board and the Fire and Rescue Planning Committee will hold a joint workshop to discuss the recommended approach and, if approved, issue a request for proposals from construction firms. The workshop hadn’t been scheduled as of Tuesday, July 1.
