Portland Public Schools has selected Procedeo, a construction company based in Grapevine, Texas, to manage the school district’s bond program encompassing the modernizations of three schools (Jefferson High School, Cleveland High School and Ida B. Wells High School) as well as creation of the Center for Black Student Excellence.

The school board voted 5-2 in favor of the $61.1 million contract on Tuesday night, with board members Virginia La Forte and Stephanie Engelsman voting no.

The district continues to face costly and significant delays in its capital projects, Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong said, adding that the Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) project is set to advance after a five-year wait. The board approved a $16 million purchase of the One North property at 25 N. Fremont St. and 3506-3514 N. Vancouver Ave. for the center.

Placing management of the billion-dollar-plus bond program under one firm will reduce price escalation, Armstrong said.

Portland Public Schools (PPS) issued a request for proposals on Oct. 7. They were due Oct. 30, and three national firms submitted proposals. Two firms advanced to interviews held Nov. 14. The school district issued a notice of intent to award to Procedeo on Nov. 17.

The scope of work for this contract includes full project management services for the three high school modernizations and a renovation to suit the CBSE. It also includes administrative oversight of all bond projects in the program, said Sharon Toncray, chief legal officer at PPS.

Procedeo’s services for each project will include fiscal and budget management, development and maintenance of the project management plan, project scheduling, project controls, management of contingencies, design and engineering review, preconstruction, construction phase oversight, and occupancy and post-occupancy services.

Procedeo will receive base compensation of approximately $55.1 million, which represents 4 percent of the estimated combined remaining budgets for the three school modernizations, CBSE construction, and administrative oversight of the Office of School Modernization.

The contract also includes a $6 million incentive for the three school projects to be completed on time. The projects are scheduled to be built and completed at the same time.

Rather than have three different firms manage the projects separately, Armstrong said, the district wants to lean on one firm for accountability and advance the projects collectively.

The contract will be in effect for five years. PPS has the right to cancel the contract at any time with 30 days’ notice.

Board member Christy Splitt asked to postpone the vote to allow the school district to perform cost analyses of other school districts’ capital projects. But Armstrong said no comparable situation exists in another school district in Oregon.

La Forte and Engelsman also expressed concerns in the absence of a cost analysis and the lack of transparency.

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