FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Responses provided by FJJ
Solutions
(Consultants to Minto School Facilities Improvement Project)
July 15, 2013
Q1. Why do school districts
create facilities plans?
A1. Long-range facilities plans
allow school districts to plan for the future and identify cost-effective
solutions to their community's education needs. Many school districts are
maintaining and operating old and inefficient mechanical equipment with poor
air quality in classrooms that do not meet the current state standards.
Creating a long-range plan helps a district efficiently assess and solve
education, infrastructure and health and safety needs.
Q2. Are there any health
problems in the schools?
A2. As schools age, building
ventilation, plumbing and electrical systems need repair and replacement. Yet
many needs are deferred due to budget constraints. FJJ Solutions and several
sub-consultants have assessed and advised the district with respect to hazardous
materials (asbestos, lead, radon, etc…) to evaluate whether current indoor air
quality standards are being met. The assessment plan will address overall air
quality, classroom comfort, current space needs, building accessibility and
improve the learning environment for students and educators.
Q3. Can't we just continue
to make repairs in the school as problems arise?
A3. As the district facilities
continue to age, problems emerge that will permanently impact health, safety
and educational success. The current state of the economy has led to upward
pressure in the cost of construction and interest rates are still at an all
time low. These factors, make this an opportune time to address facilities
concerns and lingering deferred maintenance items.
Q4. What does Minto Schools
receive for FJJ Solutions’ fee?
A4. FJJ Solutions has helped
the district better define the values of key stakeholder groups (students,
teachers and staff, school board and public). FJJ Solutions and partner
sub-consultants provide comprehensive reports that include a discussion of the
district facilities deficiencies and associated opportunities for improvements
and addressing deferred maintenance items. District demographics have been
studied with the district and a comprehensive report provided.
Q5. What types of analysis
and assessment is completed as part of their fees?
A5. The assessments the
district has received includes the following components, dependent entirely on
the individual building and its systems: building envelope (including roofs,
windows, doors, tuck-pointing and infiltration), interior finishes (ADA
compliance, ceilings, flooring, walls, doors), mechanical systems (heating,
cooling, ventilation, piping & plumbing), electrical (power, distribution,
low-voltage systems), as well as other items of priority to the district.
Q6. Does FJJ Solutions
assist with community engagement during its assessment of the school?
A6. Professional consultants
have conducted meetings with teachers, students, parents, community members,
the School Board and other interested people to understand the current state of
the school. This team of people has assessed the educational adequacy,
mechanical operations, health and safety of the current building, and has
developed specific options for the School Board to consider.
Q7. Who makes the decision
about scope and selecting solutions?
A7. Minto Schools has reviewed
and selected the appropriate solutions that are included in this project. FJJ
Solutions has reviewed each assessment report with the facility committee, the
Superintendent and the full board as necessary so that Minto Schools is making
informed decisions about scope and solutions. The board has been able to
evaluate a variety of options for proceeding with facilities investments and
retains full control of project scope and prioritization.
Q8. What financing or financial options can be considered?
A8. The school district, with
help from Public Financial Management, Inc. (PFM), the districts financial
advisor is utilizing and applying funding options the State legislature has
empowered school districts to use. The majority of the needed improvements
require public vote.
Q9. Will the District receive
building plans and renderings?
A9. No. Building renovation and
design is a process that moves from an idea to schematic design, to design
development, to construction. At the facility assessment stage, options for
improvements have been presented to the Board for a decision on the scope of
the project. Once a scope of work has been selected, the design stage can
begin. As the project moves along in the design process, it becomes more
detailed to the point where the renovation work can be publicly bid from a set
of drawings and specifications.
Q10. What is FJJ Solutions
role in the development and construction process?
A10. FJJ Solutions is the
program manager and the construction manager for the projects. Before FJJ can
construct, they must define the goals and objectives, define the building
programs, establish the project budgets, get the necessary agency approvals
(DPI, State Plan Review, etc), design and bid the projects. Then the projects
enter the construction phase for which they perform construction management.
Q11. Is the school district
responsible for submitting the North Dakota Department of Education (DPI)
documentation and approvals?
A11. Yes. FJJ Solutions will
assist the district with all of the necessary documentation for DPI.
Q12. How accurate are the
budget cost estimates? Does FJJ get hard quotes for construction?
A12. FJJ Solutions estimates
for a new building or renovation are based on experience with these projects
from around the state as well as data and resources standard to the
construction industry. FJJ Solutions also works with several sub-consultants
(subject matter experts) for much of the budget estimates. Renovation estimates
include all soft costs associated with the project including design fees,
insurance, bonding, permitting and contingency for unforeseen conditions. In
the past 5 years alone, the FJJ Solutions team you will be working with has
estimated and performed over $140 Million dollars in construction projects in
Northeast North Dakota / Northern Minnesota. All within estimated budgets.
Q13. How much of this
project will be going to local contractors?
A13. By state law, no public
contracts can be promised to local contractors, and the district is required to
follow a low-bid or best value process. FJJ Solutions regularly sponsors bid
meetings with local contractors to answer any questions they have about
contract expectations. This process gives local companies the best chance to
make competitive bids. See also ND Century Code pertaining to bids and contracts for public projects: CHAPTER 48-01.2 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BIDS AND CONTRACTS
Q14. Can you clarify how the
bidding process will work? How can we be assured all bids are competitive?
A14. All work will be
contracted via the open bidding process. All projects will be delivered through
the construction management delivery process, where bid categories will be
solicited and awarded to qualified low bidders. All bidding will be advertised.
Once the design process is complete, a "Call for Bid" is advertised
at least three weeks prior to the bid opening. Plan sets will be made available
on-line as well as at many of the local plan exchanges. FJJ Solutions verifies
that the bids are competitive by comparing bid ranges, bid contractor industry
reputation, the number of bidders, and by conducting post-bid interviews.
Q15. Does FJJ provide a
project manager?
A15. Yes. FJJ Solutions is
responsible for managing project implementation from beginning to end,
including initial planning, construction and financial management, contract
negotiations, public information and student transition.
Additionally,
working with architectural and engineering designer partners on initial
planning, full design and engineering services. In this role, FJJ Solutions is
responsible for quality assurance that all projects are completed according to
the contract terms and the expectations of the school board.
Q16. Why is hiring a Program
Manager a good idea for a school district?
A16. There are several reasons
that school districts hire companies like FJJ Solutions:
1 School districts are in the
business of educating students, not managing construction projects. For a
school district to plan and implement a large facility renovation project, they
would need to hire and manage architectural teams, electrical and mechanical
designers, a construction manager, a quality manager and other professionals.
By using a Program Manager like FJJ Solutions, Minto Schools has contracted
with an experienced manager of all of these services. FJJ Solutions doesn’t
perform all of these services – instead, it helps the district manage all of
the aspects of the construction process.
2. Hiring a Program Manager
places the accountability with a single firm. Simply put, the buck stops with
FJJ Solutions and Partner Sub-consultants for completing the project on-budget
and on-time.
3. Good program management leads
to better educational results. Instead of focusing on just design or
construction goals, a Program Manager is responsible for meeting the school
district’s educational and financial outcomes.
Q17. Does FJJ Solutions
accept the financial risk for all aspects of the facilities plan?
A17. No. The school district still accepts the financial risk in two areas-construction contracts and land acquisition if applicable. In these areas, FJJ Solutions advises the school board, but the board is responsible for the final agreements with contractors.
