The feasibility study is completed by a designer architect under the management of an Owner’s Project Manager (OPM). The OPM is hired by the School Building Committee (SBC).

Once the Designer is procured through the MSBA Designer Selection Panel process, which may take up to 4-months, an in-depth analysis of the current condition of the school and site will occur. In parallel to this analysis, a thorough educational programming study will take place with an analysis of potential design solutions; this Feasibility Phase will typically take 8-months to complete. Upon completion of the Feasibility Phase, and subsequent approval from the MSBA Board of Directors to proceed into a Schematic Design, the SBC, OPM, and Designer will complete a robust Schematic Design on the preferred solution. This Schematic Design Phase of the study will include conceptual and schematic designs and drawings for the preferred solution and will take approximately 8-months to complete. The total length of time for the Feasibility and Schematic Design Study will be roughly 18-22 months.

The SBC is required by the MSBA to be made up of town representatives with backgrounds from construction, architecture, landscape and education as well as the town administrator, the district superintendent of schools, a school committee member, the school principals, district schools’ facility management director, at least one teacher from the school, a member of the finance committee or local budget official, and a representative from an office authorized by law to construct school buildings.

The MSBA is a state government authority that partners with local communities to create affordable, sustainable and energy efficient public schools across Massachusetts. Created in 2004, the MSBA provides reimbursements to communities based on a pre-determined percentage of eligible school construction costs. The MSBA’s revenue stream consists of one penny from the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax.