Committee recommends Meyer Construction as GC for $5.6M Riverview HVAC and roofing project

The Wausau School District Committee of the Whole on May 18 recommended approval to move forward with Meyer Construction as the general contractor for the Riverview Elementary HVAC and roofing project after reviewing selection steps, scope, and estimate.

Buildings and grounds staff reported the project had 75% plans and specifications and that an RFP was issued March 10. A mandatory preproposal meeting was held April 2; four proposals met requirements on April 14; a panel of district buildings-and-grounds staff and Dynamic Consulting Engineers interviewed two finalists on May 1 and recommended Meyer Construction. The presenter said the pre-construction phase (moving from 75% to 100% plans) carries a $5,000 fee in Meyer’s proposal for site work and coordination with the design team.

The recommended project estimate reported in the presentation is $5,600,000, which the presenter broke down as roughly $5,200,000 in direct construction costs plus a construction fee (about 2.25% of direct cost, cited as roughly $118,000) and an inflation line Meyer included. The presenter emphasized abatement, builders-risk insurance and contingency were not part of the RFP scope and will be addressed separately; the team also allowed for approximately 10% for commissioning and related fees in planning.

Board members asked about an inflation clause Meyer had shown at 4% and whether that exposed the district to multi-year cost escalation if the project is phased. The presenter said the 2.25% fee for Meyer would not change, but if direct construction costs increase the dollar amount of the fee would increase correspondingly; the inflation line was included as a line item for the district to consider. Other bidders did not include the same inflation line in their submissions.

Chair moved to recommend approval to move forward with Meyer Construction Corporation; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Next steps: staff will complete the pre-construction scope to 100% plans, identify required abatement/insurance/contingency amounts, and return recommended contract language and a final budget for full-board approval.