Yet Another Delay
Although January 17 was announced as the date to open sealed bids for a construction manager for the proposed renovation and restoration of the historic barracks on Fort Hancock for use by the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), the date has now been moved one week later until January 24.
The new date is not advertised on the Monmouth County Vocational School Board of Education website, nor was it announced to everyone who attended the pre-bid meeting on December 20.
However, a legal is posted on the webpage of the architect seeking the bids, Kellenyi, Johnson Wagner, architects of Red Bank, explains that “The original Bid Opening Date & Time of 1:00 PM on January 17, 2024 has been revised and extended.
Sealed bids will now be received at the Business Office of the Monmouth County Vocational School District, Board of Education Office, 4000 Kozloski Road (in the Agriculture Building), Freehold, NJ 07728 up to 1:00 PM (prevailing time), on Wednesday January 24, 2024, then opened and read aloud.
Such proposals to receive consideration by the Monmouth County Vocational School District, are to be submitted in strict compliance with the Public-School Contract Law, NJSA 18A:18A-1, et.seq.”
No reason was given why the date announced at the pre bid meeting has been changed, nor does the legal notice on the architect’s webpage indicate where the legal notice of the change was posted.
It would appear that with the bid opening date delayed a full week, the dates for reviewing the bid documents, awarding the contract, distributing contracts for review and signature as well as the notice to proceed would also be delayed by a week.
The overall project duration was listed as taking 420 days from the notice to proceed, including 54 days to update and finalize contract documents and submit plans for permit and initiate submittals.
Although the original announcement of the Prebid meeting was listed as mandatory, that error was corrected in the legal advertisement for the meeting, which indicated it was recommended, not mandated, to attend that meeting. At least two bidders attended that meeting last month.
The one-week delay and any subsequent delays could impact the actual construction of Building 23, now primarily in a dilapidated condition, since it could impact whether work would start on the reconstruction in the advertised time frame.
Both past history and a current statement from the architect indicate that if the ospreys, a large sea bird that has a nest atop one standing wall of Building 23, return and prepare their nest for new eggs prior to construction, work is halted until the eggs hatch and fly the nest.
That was the reason for the delay of construction three years ago and plans have remained dormant until now. Kellenyi said at the pre bid meeting last month he is hopeful that activity at the site would drive the returning ospreys to find another location.
Nor has either the architect, the Monmouth County Vocational School Board of Education nor the National Park Service responded to any question as to why the nest cannot simply be removed any time before the ospreys are expected back from migration, generally mid to late March. Nor have any of the principals involved responded to queries why it is so necessary to protect the nest now, with plans approved and contracts signed to renovate the building which includes removing the nest so work can proceed.
The building is planned to be renovated to provide the first indoor drill and practice facility for the NJROTC cadets, which includes every student at MAST. The building is also scheduled to include classrooms, office space, bathrooms , lockers and showers for the cadets. Currently, the cadets conduct their drills on Pershing Field, the open field immediately in front of Building 23 ad have no showers or locker facilities for end of drill exercises.
The new legal notice on the Kellenyi Johnson Wagner webpage, which includes the requirements necessary for bidders and the regulations each must meet was authorized by Monmouth County Vocational School District/Business Administrator/Board Secretary Kelly A. Brazelton.
