PEA RIDGE — In competition with construction company Baldwin and Shell, Nabholz was named general contractor to oversee the construction of the new multipurpose facility at Pea Ridge High School.

The board met in a special meeting Thursday night. According to board member Joshua Ramsey, each of the four companies that submitted qualifications for the position were given 15 minutes presentation time, followed by five minutes for questions from the board.

“We had a scoring scale and eliminated all but the top two.

We thought Nabholz did a great job with their presentation, felt like we wanted to award them the project,” Ramsey said.

The district worked with Baldwin and Shell on previous construction projects including the middle school, primary school and tornado shelter.

“(Nabholz) is a great company, well respected. I think any time you have competition for bids it’s valuable. If you always award to the same company, it leads to complacency. Competition is a good thing,” Ramsey said.

Superintendent Mike Van Dyke agreed that competition makes projects less costly.

He said: “(The board) decided they wanted another set of eyes on school construction projects and to see how another company would work with the district on projects.”

Crossland Construction and Kinco Constructors also submitted qualifications for the project.

Nabholz’s history of completed projects include Gravette High School and field house, Rogers High School football stadium, Conway School District’s

multi-purpose facility and Oakdale Junior High’s locker room expansion and renovation.

The plans for the facility atPea Ridge High School are basically finished, Ramsey said, and architect Steve Elliot will work with Nabholz on the bidding process. Representatives from Nabholz estimated the project could be completed by spring 2011, Van Dyke said, in time for spring practice.

“This will just add to the great work that’s already been started by Baldwin and Shell and the administration,” Ramsey said.

The next regular school board meeting is at 6 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 13, in the high school media center.

The meeting is open to the public.

News, Pages 1 on 08/25/2010