Board approves ARPA‑funded design and change‑order increases for school auditorium and stadium projects
December 15, 2024 | Danbury City, Fairfield, Connecticut
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The Danbury City Board of Awards on Dec. 11 approved a series of American Rescue Plan Act‑funded contract amendments for school and public‑assembly projects, including a large change order to finish auditorium work and smaller allowances to cover possible unforeseen conditions on lighting projects.
Purchasing agent Jake Volkin said the Denver Heights auditorium project, previously awarded to J. Rosen Construction for $1,088,409, needs a $495,243.02 change order to cover replacement of the acoustical ceiling, house lighting and other items that can be completed while auditorium seats are out. Volkin said the ARPA funding window made the additional work timely: "If we don't use the funding, it would lose it," he said. The board pressed staff about the size of the change and was told the extra work could not reasonably have been included in the original base bid; the amendment passed unanimously.
Staff also presented a $124,750 on‑call design award to Fryer Architecture for exterior soffit replacement at Middle Ridge Primary School; Dan Petrovich described that contract as design‑only, with construction to be bid later. The board approved the design award pending ARPA consultant review.
Additional items approved included a $5,000 amendment to the JJA Sports design contract for LED sports lighting at Denver High School and a $25,000 allowance to amend Musco Sports Lighting’s contract for the Quarantine Stadium lighting project. Staff characterized those sums as allowances for unforeseen engineering needs or scope changes and said consultant approval by PKF O'Connor Davies was required for ARPA compliance.
Board members framed the decisions around spending ARPA funds where project access allows efficient work while seats or equipment are out of service. All votes on the items passed unanimously.
The board recorded that PKF O'Connor Davies, the city's ARPA financial consultant, must sign off on the ARPA‑funded amendments before final contract execution.
Purchasing agent Jake Volkin said the Denver Heights auditorium project, previously awarded to J. Rosen Construction for $1,088,409, needs a $495,243.02 change order to cover replacement of the acoustical ceiling, house lighting and other items that can be completed while auditorium seats are out. Volkin said the ARPA funding window made the additional work timely: "If we don't use the funding, it would lose it," he said. The board pressed staff about the size of the change and was told the extra work could not reasonably have been included in the original base bid; the amendment passed unanimously.
Staff also presented a $124,750 on‑call design award to Fryer Architecture for exterior soffit replacement at Middle Ridge Primary School; Dan Petrovich described that contract as design‑only, with construction to be bid later. The board approved the design award pending ARPA consultant review.
Additional items approved included a $5,000 amendment to the JJA Sports design contract for LED sports lighting at Denver High School and a $25,000 allowance to amend Musco Sports Lighting’s contract for the Quarantine Stadium lighting project. Staff characterized those sums as allowances for unforeseen engineering needs or scope changes and said consultant approval by PKF O'Connor Davies was required for ARPA compliance.
Board members framed the decisions around spending ARPA funds where project access allows efficient work while seats or equipment are out of service. All votes on the items passed unanimously.
The board recorded that PKF O'Connor Davies, the city's ARPA financial consultant, must sign off on the ARPA‑funded amendments before final contract execution.
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