Bidding and Award of Construction Contract

The bidding and award of the construction contract is the culmination of a long and complex process. The lowest responsive bid must be within the Stated Cost Limitation or the project must be redesigned and rebid at no cost to the Board of Regents. For this reason, the Design Professional is required to specify deductive alternates in the project.

Most major capital projects (and some others as deemed necessary), are constructed by the Construction Division of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission (GSFIC). The GSFIC provides construction administration, and related services to state government.

GSFIC issues invitations to bids, holds the bid opening, and with the recommendation of the Board of Regents selects the successful bidder, and makes an award of the construction contract. At this time, GSFIC assigns a project manager to the project. GSFIC serves as the owner during the course of construction, approves change orders, makes decisions regarding the work, approves payments, makes inspections, and settles issues that may arise.

When the work is complete, GSFIC conducts a final inspection attended by the architect, contractor and the campus and turns the completed building over to the Board of Regents for occupancy and maintenance. Any warranty or guaranty issues are handled by GSFIC.

Typically, non-bond funded projects are bid, awarded and managed by the Board of Regents Facilities Office in conjunction with the campus unless otherwise directed by the Vice Chancellor for Facilities. The Design Professional assists the campus in advertising the project for bids and attends the bid opening. The BOR Facilities Office usually awards the construction contract. The Design Professional performs construction administration in accordance with the architectural contract.