Staff recommends $688,000 award for courthouse and jail booking area construction

Melissa Hawk presented the evaluation results for RFP 458-24, the construction contract to enclose the jail booking area, reconfigure attorney/video visitation space and add a public fingerprinting/bonding window and a new GCIC office.

Hawk said two proposals were received and the evaluation committee (composed of sheriff’s office personnel) scored Smithfield and the other proposer evenly on non-cost criteria but Smithfield’s lower bid — about $688,000 — gave it an advantage. “Smithfield offered a total cost of $688,000,” she said, adding staff’s recommendation to award the turnkey contract to Smithfield Construction. Hawk said the county will use remaining SPLOST 7 funds and less than $300,000 from the jail fund to complete the purchase.

The presentation covered the planned scope: an enclosed, secured booking room with glass partitions and millwork; relocation and reconstruction of video/attorney visitation and a separate public fingerprinting and bonding window; and a small secure interview office with glass separation for witness interviews. Commissioners asked no substantive questions during the recorded segment.

The work session record shows only a staff recommendation; no formal vote was recorded in the session segments provided. If approved in a subsequent voting session, the contract award will proceed according to county procurement policy and the funding described by staff.