CCC shall review the items included in a construction/renovation project and remove any items they consider non-related to the building's actual construction/renovation. Items that are considered commodities, or just furnishings, to complete the project for use, shall be handled in accordance with the normal purchasing rules. Items usually removed from construction/renovation projects include office panel systems, food service equipment, and furniture. If the college determines that one of these items, or any item that is normally handled as a commodity purchase, is best suited for inclusion in the construction/renovation project, their justification shall be documented in writing for public record.
Formal Projects
Any project requiring the estimated expenditure of $500,000 or more for construction contracts, design fee, and construction contingency, regardless of the source of funds, will be considered a “formal” project and must have the approval of the State Board. NC Session Law 2022-6 revised State Construction Office (SCO) supervision of community college capital projects between $500,00 and less than $2,000,000. Any capital project, regardless of funding, of $2,000,000 or above shall obtain supervision from the State Construction Office (SCO). Formal bidding procedures as per G.S. 143-129 must be followed for these projects. Note, in cases of special emergencies involving the health and safety of the people or their property, the bidding procedures in G.S. 143-129 may be waived. Contact the Assistant Director of the Design Review Section at the SCO for approval to proceed in an emergency.
Informal Projects
Any project, where the authorized funding or the total project cost is realistically estimated at less than $500,000 for construction contracts, design fee, and construction contingency, will be considered an “informal” project. If the economy is in a period where the costs of construction materials and services are rapidly rising, and the estimated total project cost is close to this threshold, the college is strongly encouraged to consider treating the project like a formal project. This rationale is because if the project is bid under the informal bidding procedures and the lowest bid or set of bids are over $500,000, you may not be permitted by the general statutes to award a contract. Several general statutes require that certain actions be taken prior to awarding a contract and some of these actions must have been included in the bid documents for the bidders to consider when compiling their bid(s).