Clear Lake council to consider bid process option on Surf District Music Enrichment & Interpretive Center

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake City Council tonight will consider whether or not to utilize the “construction manager at-risk” selection process for the Surf District Music Enrichment & Interpretive Center that’s part of the city’s Destination Iowa project.

City Administrator Scott Flory in a memo to the council says the city proposes utilizing this process, which was passed into law in 2022 to allow the additional option for public entities in the state by adding the “construction manager at-risk” alongside traditional design-bid-build project procurement.

In the “CMaR” selection process, the public owner must advertise statewide for requests for qualifications and allow all qualified firms to submit fee proposals. This creates a two-phase selection process where finalists are chosen based on qualifications determined by the owner. The owner can select the “CMaR” that offers the best value for the project. “Best Value” is not defined, which allows the owner to establish its own selection criteria.

A committee comprised of city officials and staff and community members would ultimately make a recommendation to the City Council on the award of contract.

The council tonight is being asked to authorize the “CMaR” process and issue the public notice for requests for qualifications for the project. The council meets tonight at 6 o’clock at City Hall.