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Washington County is seeking a construction manager/general contractor to handle upgrades at its law enforcement center and jail in Hillsboro.

The center, at 215 S.W. Adams Ave., was completed in 1997. Its building systems have exceeded their life expectancies, Bassam Khalifeh, senior capital improvement projects manager for Washington County, said during a board of commissioners meeting on Wednesday.

鈥淭he law enforcement center is a mission-critical, 24/7 facility,鈥� he said.

In 2021, a contract was awarded to S盲z盲n Group to provide design services for the project to replace the center鈥檚 HVAC system and controls. Work will also involve upgrades of domestic water supply lines and the fire detection system, restoration of jail showers, and replacement of the roof, said Stuart Spafford, Washington County project manager for capital projects.

The project鈥檚 cost estimate is $48 million. Alternative funding strategies are being explored.

The building must remain operational during construction. Parks and facilities staffers will conduct detailed coordination and scheduling with the sheriff鈥檚 office to maintain operations and keep construction moving.

The CM/GC will be selected via a request for proposals (RFP) rather than through a traditional design-bid-build process. The contractor will be selected based on several factors, including qualifications, experience with the project type, experience with the CM/GC role, and its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

The CM/GC will oversee all work. It will be able to determine true construction costs before work starts and identify cost-saving options during design. The CM/GC will be able to participate in value engineering and reduce the potential for change orders during construction.

鈥淭he way (a CM/GC) can save money in the process is to (provide) input on the methods that offer the most value,鈥� Spafford said.

Capital projects management staffers are working with the county鈥檚 procurement division to finalize the RFP, which is expected to be issued next week, Washington County assistant communications officer Julie McCloud stated in an email.

Construction is estimated to begin in spring 2024 and take place in phases so that facility operations are not interrupted.