School board awards bid for design work

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NAUGATUCK — The Board of Education last week tapped a Hamden-based company to do the design work for upgrades at six schools.

The school board awarded an $83,065 bid to Hamden-based Silver Petrucelli and Associates for the architectural design of the projects.

The district received a $1.46 million grant to pay for projects at six schools — Andrew Avenue Elementary School, Cross Street Intermediate School, Hillside Intermediate School, Hop Brook Elementary School, Maple Hill Elementary School and Western Elementary School. The money was part of a $50 million grant that was made available to Alliance Districts, which are the 30 lowest-performing districts based on standardized testing.

Silver Petrucelli and Associates was one of three companies to submit bids for the job. The company’s bid was the highest of the three. The New Britain-based Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc. bid $73,750 and the Cheshire-based Petrin/Duane and Associates bid $78,300.

While Kaestle Boos’ bid seemed the lowest, Assistant Superintendent Christopher Montini said it did not include the hazardous materials services that were included in the two other bids. With this service included, Kaestle Boos would have been the highest bid, he said.

Superintendent of Schools Sharon Loche said she recommended Silver Petrucelli even because the company laid out every possible cost.

“One of the things we really liked about Silver Petrucelli was the thoroughness of the proposal. It included a timeline, it included every single thing we might have to pay for. So we knew what the hourly costs were and what the extra costs were going in,” Locke said.

William Silver, president and principal of Silver Petrucelli and Associates, said he expects to have the construction documents done by May and out to bid shortly after that.

“Much of the simple work, like interior finishes, site work, and paving, can all be done this summer,” Silver said. “Some of the work is a long lead time, like the mechanical units that just can’t be done this summer. So some of the projects may go into the fall or into next summer.”

The money from the grant needs to be expended by June 2017.

Board of Education Vice Chair Glenn Connan said he surprised himself by voting in favor of a more expensive bid.

“It’s unusual that I am in favor of spending $5,000 more for something from one bidder over another, but the presentation is obviously the best presentation by far. If your services are as good as your marketing materials we’ll be OK,” Connan told Silver.