A principal in the Bethlehem company managing the development of a proposed middle school told the Upper Perkiomen School Board that the project remains on schedule.

        A project milestone schedule – presented by M. Arif Fazil of D'Huy Engineering at an April 20 workshop meeting – calls for the company to advertise bids for the construction of the new school for sixth, seventh and eighth graders on June 14, one day after the school board members are expected to grant final approval to the land development plan.

        The schedule also predicts that the project will receive final approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to award the bids on July 21. It also states that a notice to proceed will be approved, and that the bids for the work will be awarded Aug. 1.

        "That date could change slightly," Fazil said.

        Construction, which would take approximately two years, is projected to finish Aug. 1, 2019.

        Addressing the board, the engineer repeated his assertion that sticking to the schedule will allow the project to generate competitive bids. 

        "On a project of this scope, we're trying to create a competitive environment for contractors," he said during the meeting. "Timing is everything."

        District officials are planning to build the new school on Montgomery Avenue near the Green Lane Reservoir at an estimated cost of $58.496 million, which includes a $2 million contingency fund. 

        The project will be bid publically to four prime contractors, according to the engineer. He told the board his budget includes "meaningful construction alternatives that could allow for significant savings," including a roof alternative that could eliminate $1 million in costs, casework in classrooms and alternative brick types.

        "The market is ready for this project," said Fasil, adding that he expects the cost to come in below that figure.

        A majority of the building – which would be constructed on 20 acres near the intersection of Walt Road – will be built on 7 feet of fill, according to Fasil. He said some limestone rock, most of which is located near Montgomery Avenue, will have to be removed with either a hammering mechanism or by fracturing.

        "We will be bidding the rock removal in multiple ways," the engineer said.

        Michael Ackerman, a senior associate with the Allentown architectural firm that designed the new school, Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects, told the members that has agency has commenced the application for PlanCon F for submittal to the education department.

        Ackerman said members of the design team have begun to scrutinize 291 drawings for the proposed school.

        Plan Con F provides for further refinement of the architectural aspects of the project and documentation that other state and local agency requirements have been met or will be met before entering into construction contracts, according to the state agency's website. 

        Departmental approval of this portion of the application, which is intended to facilitate a financial reimbursement from the state, authorizes a district to receive bids and enter into construction contracts.

        If the reimbursement is approved, the district would eventually receive more than $3 million from the state over a number of years as debt payments on the school are made, according to Fazil.

        He said the district has also applied for a multimodal grant worth $500,000 and a MontCo 2040 grant for between $100,000 and $150,000.