Taking action at their final business meeting of the 2017-18 school year, the Corvallis School Board unanimously approved the hiring of Wenaha Group as construction project manager for the district’s $200 million bond program. The firm was recommended by Superintendent Ryan Noss and an interview panel comprised of district staff and board members Vince Adams and Jay Conroy. Additional panel members included Olivia Meyers, Finance and Operations Director; Kim Patten, Facilities and Transportation Director; Brenda Downum, Communications Coordinator; Paul Jennison, HVAC Technician, and principals Darren Bland and Aaron Hale.
The scope of services is extensive and includes planning; budget and schedule development; training and standards; outreach; labor compliance; information management; environmental review; and assistance through the design, bid and award, construction, commissioning, and post‐construction phases of the program.
Wenaha Group was selected based on their alignment with the district’s core values; their strong commitment to dedicating experienced, on‐site staff throughout the bond program; and their experience in facilitating inclusive and collaborative community engagement. The firm also has local ties as the proposed project principal (Dave Fishel), bond program manager (Dale Kuykendall), and project manager (Eric Eckfield) are all Oregon State University graduates in constructional engineering management.
“Wenaha Group is honored to serve the Corvallis School District as project managers and excited to begin the process. Our shared goals and core value alignment will result in continuing to ensure safe, adaptable, and sustainable learning environments now and for years to come,” said Wenaha Group co-founder and project principal Dave Fishel.
The firm has extensive experience working with the Energy Trust of Oregon to successfully integrate sustainability into design projects and has been certified by the state’s economic development agency (Business Oregon), through the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity.
The fees estimated in the proposal recommended for award are based on a program budget, scope and schedule drafted by the district staff and assumes 36,902 hours and a total not‐to‐exceed fee of $4.9 million. The actual number of hours required will be determined once the program budget, scope and schedule has been discussed and agreed upon. The total cost, including a guaranteed not‐to‐exceed fee, will be determined based upon final successful negotiations. Read the full board report HERE.
“As project manager, Wenaha Group will provide the expertise and additional capacity we need to complete all approved bond projects on time and on target with our budget,” noted Superintendent Ryan Noss. “This is an important partnership that will have a lasting impact on our community’s investment in school facilities. Wenaha Group brings the right mix of technical and relational expertise, all with a focus on providing safe, inspiring, and adaptable schools.”