After suffering a short setback brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town of Creston is moving forward with the new Emergency Services Building.
Scheduled tendering for the building begins May 19, 2020.
Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Creston, Mike Moore, provided details to Council on Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting.
The Technical Building Advisory Committee (TBAC) will first review the drawings which are at 95% and discuss which energy model should be used.
“There’s a capital cost, operating cost and a carbon footprint, that you kind of have to balance those three things out,” said Moore. “TBAC will get the first look at that, and then Council will certainly make a decision on that because it’s gotta be in the final drawings, whether you’re putting geothermal or air heat pumps.”
Moore also announced that a Class-B estimate is in the works, but there may be challenges in determining certain costs under the all-encompassing effects of the coronavirus.
“[Cost estimators] feel that labour is going to be extremely beneficial to us. They think that going out to market, you’ll get some real good pricing,” said Moore. “But the caution is the materials. Not so much the wood products, but when you start getting into your mechanical products like your HVAC units, roll-up doors and things like that.”
Moore proposed having the tendering process and contract include language regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and be split in three sections.
Foundation, lock-up, and completion.
“This will allow the contractors to be able to bid on it and not handcuff themselves,” added Moore. “A lot of the concern about some of the materials is in that finishing phase. Your electronic devices, your motors…”
Moore advised Council this style of document may offer flexibility to contractors. If the building is complete, save a few overpriced electronic components, the contractor could move on to a new project. Once the final materials lower in price or become available, a subcontractor could then finish the job.
As for the price tag? The Class-B estimate won’t be made public, not even to Council.
“When we go to the tendering process, to ensure that it’s fair and accurate, and we have a local contractor who is bidding on it… we have to ensure nobody has access to these prices,” said Moore.
Johnston Davidson Architecture requested an internal estimate from Moore so that adjustments could be made to the drawings and the budget.
Moore also pointed out to Council, the dangers of releasing a cost estimate before the tendering process begins.
“The skate park is a prime example,” Moore said. “When the contractors knew that the RDCK had $3.2 million to build a skate park, every single quote came back at $3.2 million plus tax.”
Council has the right to reject all bids for the Emergency Services Building if they come in too high.
It is a process not uncommon in the Creston Valley, in fact it was witnessed just last year during the final stages of the Creston Community Park.
Moore estimated that the tendering process will be open for four weeks starting May 19. He said he hopes the contract will be awarded by July 1.