Commissioners ratify emergency change order for Project Opal to keep Building Pad 1 on schedule

The Okaloosa County Commission on Feb. 3 ratified a retroactive emergency change order at the Shell River Industrial Park (Project Opal) to keep Building Pad 1 on schedule and capture an estimated $44,000 in mobilization savings.

Deputy County Administrator Jason Autry said the subcontractor was ahead of schedule on Pad 1 and an immediate change order was executed to advance work and avoid contractor demobilization. He said the change order will be 100% reimbursed by the Triumph grant and that some buried debris found on-site (concrete fence posts and tires) will be removed with ARPA funds tied to a related cleanup project.

Autry said Williams International has begun moving employees to the area and that the county followed emergency procurement authority (procurement manual, section 17) to authorize the retroactive action, which staff then brought to the board for ratification. Commissioners debated the use of retroactive ratification but several said it fit within the county’s written policy and resulted in net cost savings and no policy waiver.

The board ratified the change order unanimously and encouraged continued oversight as the project moves into phased construction.