Cochise County board approves $3.26 million contract for new jail design criteria
May 19, 2026 | Cochise County, Arizona
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Vice Chairman Crosby moved and the Cochise County Jail District Board of Directors voted to approve contract 26-14-01 with DLR Group for criteria architect services for the Cochise County New Jail Project, approving $3,259,137 for the work on May 19, 2026.
The board heard from the owner's representative, Vanerf, who said DLR Group was selected after a statement-of-qualifications procurement and a shortlist process. "The fee is 3,259,137. That's about 3.1%," Vanerf said, describing that the firm will develop criteria documents that will be used to write the request for proposal and to guide the design-build procurement and construction through closeout. Vanerf said criteria documents mix "performance criteria" to allow design flexibility and "prescriptive" requirements needed for jail safety and security and that stakeholders, including the sheriff's office, will define security-related prescriptive elements.
Supervisor Gomez and other board members asked for clarification about what "criteria" means for the project. Vanerf explained that performance criteria give the future design-builder latitude to find cost and efficiency advantages, while prescriptive elements specify nonnegotiable safety and security features.
Procurement staff confirmed the county followed procurement rules in the selection process. "We worked in partnership with Banner, our owner's representative, to put this out for public solicitation and we followed all the procurement rules and guidelines to come to our final conclusion of recommending DLR," said Miss Copala, the county procurement official.
Board members were told staff and members of the sheriff's technical team plan to visit DLR-designed facilities in Yavapai and Coconino counties later this week to review best practices and lessons learned from those projects.
By voice vote of the members present, the motion carried. The transcript records two affirmative "I" responses and the chair stated the motion passed; one supervisor (Antonori) was absent. Mr. Casey, identified on the agenda as the assistant county administrator, had no additional comments during the presentation.
The board also approved consent agenda items one and two earlier in the meeting, and recognized Lieutenant Foster, who the board noted is retiring. The jail district meeting concluded after the contract vote.
The board heard from the owner's representative, Vanerf, who said DLR Group was selected after a statement-of-qualifications procurement and a shortlist process. "The fee is 3,259,137. That's about 3.1%," Vanerf said, describing that the firm will develop criteria documents that will be used to write the request for proposal and to guide the design-build procurement and construction through closeout. Vanerf said criteria documents mix "performance criteria" to allow design flexibility and "prescriptive" requirements needed for jail safety and security and that stakeholders, including the sheriff's office, will define security-related prescriptive elements.
Supervisor Gomez and other board members asked for clarification about what "criteria" means for the project. Vanerf explained that performance criteria give the future design-builder latitude to find cost and efficiency advantages, while prescriptive elements specify nonnegotiable safety and security features.
Procurement staff confirmed the county followed procurement rules in the selection process. "We worked in partnership with Banner, our owner's representative, to put this out for public solicitation and we followed all the procurement rules and guidelines to come to our final conclusion of recommending DLR," said Miss Copala, the county procurement official.
Board members were told staff and members of the sheriff's technical team plan to visit DLR-designed facilities in Yavapai and Coconino counties later this week to review best practices and lessons learned from those projects.
By voice vote of the members present, the motion carried. The transcript records two affirmative "I" responses and the chair stated the motion passed; one supervisor (Antonori) was absent. Mr. Casey, identified on the agenda as the assistant county administrator, had no additional comments during the presentation.
The board also approved consent agenda items one and two earlier in the meeting, and recognized Lieutenant Foster, who the board noted is retiring. The jail district meeting concluded after the contract vote.
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