Agenda - 03-21-2023; 6-a - Approval of Professional Services Contract with Woolpert, Inc. to Conduct a Public School Capital Needs Assessment, and Approval of Budget Amendment #7-A

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1 ORD-2023-014 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 21, 2023 Action Agenda Item No. 6-a SUBJECT: Approval of Professional Services Contract with Woolpert, Inc. to Conduct a Public School Capital Needs Assessment, and Approval of Budget Amendment #7-A DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 1) Woolpert, Inc. Cost Proposal Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager, 2) Orange County Professional 919-245-2308 Services Contract Steven Arndt, Asset Management 3) Year-to-Date Budget Report Services Director, 919-245-2658 PURPOSE: To consider the approval of a professional services contract with Woolpert Inc. totaling $984,561 to conduct a Facilities Condition Assessment, a School Optimization Plan and develop Benchmarking Best Practices for all public schools in Orange County, and with the proposed scope of work including $85,000 for a study of educational adequacy of school facilities; and consider approval of Budget Amendment #7-A. BACKGROUND: As a strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of operational services, Orange County Government, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) and Orange County Schools (OCS) collaborated on the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a design firm to provide a: • Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) • Optimization Plan of Existing Space Utilization; and • Examining Prioritization Models, Benchmarking Best Practices and Scenarios for both school districts that recognize the distinct structure of the County allocating funds to the two school districts. The desired outcome will help County and School professionals and elected officials better plan, manage and fund new construction and maintenance of the thirty-one (31) school campuses and administrative offices for the two school districts. Ensuring that scarce capital resources are used effectively requires a better understanding of when to repair/maintain, renovate or replace buildings, how and when to contract across campuses and school districts, and how to provide reliable funding to assure that schools facilities are built and maintained in a timely and cost effective manner.