1-RFP- General Contractor Services.docx

REǪUEST FOR PROPOSAL:

Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) / General Contractor Services

RFP: LEAD/OPS -GC444/RFP001/2026/27

Proposals Due: Oct 22, 2026, at 3:00 PM CDT

Proposals are to be submitted through LEAD’s online Bonfire Portal at:

https://leadpublicschools.bonfirehub.com/opportunities Primary RFP Contacts:

Paye Horton

Contents

1. Project overview I. Purpose of Procurement LEAD Public Schools (“LEAD”) intends to select a qualified Construction Manager at Risk / General Contractor (“GC” or “CMAR”) to provide preconstruction services immediately following award and, subject to successful negotiation and LEAD approval of a Guaranteed Maximum Price (“GMP”), construction services for the redevelopment of LEAD’s Metroplex campus in Nashville, Tennessee.

The selected GC will join the project during design and will work collaboratively with LEAD, LEAD’s Owner’s Representative, MZA Architecture & Interiors (“MZA”), and the GC’s proposed mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire-protection design-build partners to advance design, validate scope and budget, perform constructability and value-engineering reviews, develop project schedules and logistics, competitively procure the trade work, and prepare a transparent, open-book GMP for LEAD’s review and approval.

LEAD’s current target is to complete GMP development and negotiation in December 2026, before the year-end holiday break, with construction planned to begin in approximately mid-January 2027 and substantial completion targeted for June 30, 2027. The selected GC will be required to validate and maintain the detailed project schedule immediately upon award.

II. Background LEAD is redeveloping the existing Metroplex office campus into a school and organizational campus. Building B is planned to serve as the primary K–5 academic facility, including instructional and student-support spaces, cafeteria, kitchen, and related building systems. Building A is planned to accommodate office, NEST, community, professional-development, meeting, storage, and other program uses. The project also includes associated site work and the currently contemplated connector / covered activity area between the buildings, subject to final design and any LEAD-directed phasing.

The final construction scope will be established through design development and construction documents. The selected GC is expected to provide active preconstruction leadership rather than simply price a completed set of documents.

Building A and Building B demolition / early-work is being procured under a separate LEAD contract. The contractor selected under this RFP may or may not also be the contractor performing that separate work. For purposes of this procurement, demolition is a separate responsibility. The selected GC shall nevertheless coordinate closely with the demolition contractor, review turnover conditions, identify scope interfaces and risks, and incorporate the post-demolition existing conditions into its preconstruction planning and GMP.

The project’s requirements are more fully described in Exhibit A, Scope of Work (SOW) III. Procurement and Contracting Approach This procurement is for selection of the GC/CMAR team and its commercial terms; it is not a competitive bid of the final construction cost. LEAD anticipates entering into a preconstruction agreement with the selected GC promptly after selection. The GC will then perform the required preconstruction services and develop a proposed GMP through an open-book process.

If LEAD accepts the GMP and all related contract terms, the parties anticipate executing a GMP amendment and/or construction agreement authorizing the construction phase. Selection under this RFP does not obligate LEAD to accept the proposed GMP or to authorize construction if LEAD determines that the proposed GMP, schedule, scope, commercial terms, or other conditions are not acceptable.

The selected GC shall commence preconstruction services upon authorization. The agreed preconstruction fee will be payable at LEAD’s financial closing. Final invoicing and payment mechanics will be reflected in the executed preconstruction agreement.

IV. Design Team and MEP/FP Coordination MZA is LEAD’s architect for the project and remains directly retained by and responsible to LEAD; MZA does not report to the GC. MEP/FP design is being provided under MZA’s contract through MZA’s retained engineering consultant(s). The selected GC is not responsible for procuring or carrying MEP/FP design services. The GC will, however, be responsible for reviewing the MEP/FP design for constructability and completeness, coordinating trade input with MZA and its engineers, competitively soliciting MEP/FP subcontractor bids based on the issued design documents, leveling those bids, and incorporating the selected trade costs and related assumptions into the GMP.

The GC shall engage the MEP/FP subcontractor market promptly during preconstruction so pricing, constructability feedback, coordination input, and procurement planning proceed concurrently with design development. The GC shall coordinate closely with MZA and its MEP/FP engineer(s), identify scope gaps or constructability concerns, solicit competitive trade bids from the issued design documents, reconcile bidder assumptions and exclusions, and provide the pricing information necessary to support the GMP and project schedule V. RFP Contact For the purposes of the procurement, the “RFP Contact” will be:

Name: Paye Horton Title: Procurement Specialist Email: procurement@leadpublischools.org

Bidders and their representatives are not permitted to contact any employees and or officers of LEAD Public Schools, other than the RFP Contact, concerning matters regarding this RFP. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in the disqualification of the bidder and the rejection of the bidder’s proposal.

VI. Contract Term The anticipated relationship consists of two phases: (1) preconstruction services from award through GMP development and approval, and (2) construction services after LEAD authorizes the construction phase through an executed GMP amendment and/or construction agreement.

For preconstruction services, each Proposer shall provide BOTH of the following pricing alternatives so LEAD can compare proposals on a uniform basis:

• Fixed Fee Alternative: a single fixed dollar fee for all required preconstruction services through delivery and negotiation of the GMP.

• Percentage Alternative: a fixed percentage (%) of the final approved GMP / construction cost, with the percentage and calculation basis clearly stated.

LEAD reserves the right to select the preconstruction compensation structure that it determines provides the best value. In addition, Proposers shall provide all construction-phase rates and fee components required by Exhibit B so that commercial terms can be evaluated before selection.

VII. Instructions to Supplier By submitting a response to the RFP, the supplier acknowledges that the supplier.

a) Has reviewed the available project information

b) Agrees to comply with the procurement requirements

c) Is prepared to enter into good-faith negotiations if selected.

1. Definitions This RFP includes the following key terms:

Owner / LEAD – LEAD Public Schools.

Owner’s Representative – LEAD’s designated project-management / owner-representation team, including C.A. Howell and Company or such other representative as LEAD may identify.

Architect / MZA – MZA Architecture & Interiors, the project architect.

GC / CMAR – The Construction Manager at Risk / General Contractor selected through this RFP.

Preconstruction Services – Services performed before execution of the construction-phase GMP, including design coordination, estimating, value engineering, constructability, scheduling, logistics, procurement planning, subcontractor bidding, bid leveling, and GMP development.

MEP/FP Partners – The mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire-protection design-build professionals and/or contractors proposed by the GC and responsible to the GC for their respective design and trade coordination obligations.

Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) – The maximum construction price proposed by the selected GC and accepted by LEAD through an executed GMP amendment and/or construction agreement, subject to the terms, allowances, contingencies, clarifications, alternates, and exclusions expressly approved by LEAD.

Evaluated Commercial Cost – A normalized value calculated by LEAD using the pricing inputs in Exhibit B and a uniform evaluation basis for purposes of comparing proposals. It is not the project GMP.

Issuing Officer / RFP Contact – The procurement professional designated by LEAD as the Proposer’s authorized point of contact during this procurement.

2. Schedule of Events The following table outlines this solicitation’s schedule of events, which will be strictly adhered to unless dictated otherwise by LEAD and at its sole discretion. Failure to observe all events within the timeline could result in disqualification of a Service Provider’s response.

Coordinated through LEAD / Owner’s Representative

@3pm Central Time

@3pm Central Time

3. Milestones Current project milestones, to be validated and updated by the selected GC immediately upon award, include:

4. Submission of Proposal Proposal and Documentations must be submitted through the online Bonfire Portal at: https://leadpublicschools.bonfirehub.com/opportunities I. Proposal to be Submitted on Time Proposals that a Bonfire account is required. Visit the link for more details and to register as a vendor. Bidders should contact Bonfire at support@goBonfire.com for technical questions leading to submissions. Your submission must be uploaded, submitted, and finalized prior to the Closing Time of October 22, 2026 @ 3 PM CST. We strongly recommend that you give yourself sufficient time and at least one (1) day before Closing Time to begin the upload process and finalize your submission.

Proposal Requirements

1. Firm Information

· Firm name, history, ownership structure, and primary office location.

· Primary contact information.

· Years in business, employee count, annual construction volume for each of the past five (5) years, and current workload.

· Discussion of financial strength and capacity to undertake the Project.

· Tennessee contractor licensing and other relevant licenses.

· Current bonding capacity, including single-project capacity, aggregate capacity, current available capacity, surety name and contact information, and a letter from the surety confirming the firm’s bonding capacity for a project of this size.

2. Relevant Experience

· Organizational chart identifying the proposed executive, preconstruction, estimating, project-management, superintendent / field, and project-controls personnel.

· Resumes and relevant experience for all key GC personnel, including anticipated percentage availability and role on the Project.

· Identification by firm name of the proposed mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire-protection design-build partners.

· Key personnel, licenses, engineering/design credentials, relevant projects, and availability for each proposed MEP/FP partner.

· Description of prior working relationships among the proposed GC, MEP/FP firms, and key personnel.

· Identification of any additional consultants or specialty partners expected to perform material preconstruction or construction responsibilities.

3. Relevant Experience and Past Performance

· Three (3) to five (5) projects most comparable in size, complexity, renovation / existing-building conditions, schedule, delivery method, and institutional or K–12 use.

· For each project: project name/location, owner and current contact, architect, delivery method, original and final construction cost, original and final schedule, team members who would also serve on this Project, and a brief explanation of relevance.

· Examples of projects where the firm joined during design and successfully developed a negotiated GMP.

· Examples demonstrating management of design-build MEP/FP partners and coordination with an architect of record.

4. Subcontractor Procurement Strategy

· Proposed bid-package strategy and timing

· Approach to developing an adequate competitive bidder pool for each major trade.

· Bid solicitation, scope sheets, bid leveling, clarification, and recommendation process.

· Approach to long-lead procurement and early-release packages, if any, including how LEAD authorization would be obtained before commitment.

· Process for disclosing related-party, affiliate, or self-performed trade work and demonstrating competitiveness.

5. Schedule and Logistics

· A preliminary schedule demonstrating a credible path to the November 2026 For Construction (Permit) set, early December 2026 GMP completion, approximately mid-January 2027 construction start, and June 30, 2027 substantial completion for Buildings A and B.

· Identification of critical design decisions, permitting activities, procurement milestones, long-lead items, and owner decisions.

· Approach to coordination with the separately procured demolition / early-work package.

· Initial site logistics, access, staging, protection, security, and sequencing assumptions.

6. Cost Control, Quality, Safety, and Project Controls

· Cost-control and change-management procedures.

· Quality-assurance / quality-control program.

· Safety program and project-specific safety leadership.

· Project reporting, meeting cadence, RFI/submittal management, issue tracking, document control, and monthly reporting.

· Approach to closeout, commissioning support, punch list, record documents, warranties, and training

7. References

· Provide at least three (3) owner references for relevant projects completed or substantially completed within the past five (5) years. LEAD may contact additional references identified through the proposal or its own due diligence.

8. Pricing

· Complete Exhibit B in full. Proposers may not omit a requested fee category by moving it into another category without clearly identifying the treatment. All inclusions and exclusions must be disclosed. The intent is to create an apples-to-apples comparison of preconstruction and construction-phase commercial terms.

9. Required Documents (must be uploaded as prescribed in Bonfire)

· Signed proposal.

· Exhibit B – Pricing Proposal Form.

· Exhibit C – Suspension and Debarment Certification.

· Exhibit D – Non-Collusion Affidavit.

· Exhibit E – Authorization to Release Information.

· Evidence of insurance and ability to meet final insurance requirements.

· Surety letter confirming single-project bonding capacity, aggregate bonding capacity, and current available capacity, together with the proposed performance-and-payment bond rate.

· Licenses and certifications, including W-9.

· Signed addenda acknowledgments, if applicable.

· Any additional forms identified by LEAD before proposal due date.

II. Withdrawal of Proposals At any time before execution of a written agreement, a Proposer may withdraw a submitted proposal by written notice to the RFP Contact signed by an authorized representative. LEAD is under no obligation to return withdrawn proposals.

5. Evaluation and Award LEAD will use a multi-stage, criteria-based selection process to identify the Proposer that provides the best overall value and is best positioned to deliver the Project. LEAD is not required to select the lowest-priced proposal

I. Stage 1- Administrative & Mandatory Requirements Review LEAD will review proposals for responsiveness and completeness, including timely Bonfire submission, signed forms, completed pricing, required team information, licenses, insurance evidence, and bonding information. LEAD may waive immaterial irregularities, request clarification, or reject a materially incomplete proposal.

II. Stage 2 - Technical Evaluation (85 Points) An Evaluation Committee will independently review and score responsive proposals based on the criteria below:

The technical score assigned by each evaluator will be averaged to determine the proposer's final technical score.

III. Stage 3- Commercial / Price Evaluation (15 Points) Commercial terms will be evaluated using the uniform Pricing Proposal Form in Exhibit B. Each Proposer must provide all requested fixed fees, percentages, rates, markups, and assumptions.

LEAD intends to calculate an Evaluated Commercial Cost using the same assumptions for all responsive Proposers. Unless revised in the final RFP or by addendum, the pricing score will be calculated as follows:

(Lowest Evaluated Commercial Cost ÷ Proposer’s Evaluated Commercial Cost) × 15 = Commercial Score IV. Stage 4-Interviews LEAD reserves the right to invite one or more of the highest-ranked Proposers to interviews, presentations, or clarification discussions. LEAD may use interviews to confirm or refine its evaluation of the published criteria. If LEAD establishes a separate interview score, shortlisted Proposers will be notified of the scoring methodology in advance.

V. Stage 5- Final Ranking and Award Recommendations LEAD may recommend the highest-ranked responsive and responsible Proposer for award, subject to successful negotiation of the preconstruction agreement and satisfaction of all preconditions to award. LEAD reserves the right to negotiate with the next-ranked Proposer if negotiations with the initially selected Proposer are unsuccessful.

Contract Negotiation Process Negotiations may include requests for supplementary information, clarification of proposal commitments, confirmation of staffing and MEP/FP partners, improved commercial terms, contract language, insurance, bonding, schedule, and other conditions. No legally binding relationship will exist until LEAD and the selected Proposer execute a written agreement.

6. GENERAL CONDITIONS

These General Conditions describe the minimum expectations for preconstruction and any subsequently authorized construction services. The final executed agreement, including any AIA-based or other contract forms selected by LEAD, will control in the event of a conflict. Final legal terms remain subject to LEAD counsel review.

I. General Requirements

· The GC shall provide the personnel, supervision, management systems, estimating, scheduling, procurement, coordination, safety, quality, and other services necessary to perform the authorized scope.

· The GC shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, licensing requirements, ordinances, permits, and requirements of authorities having jurisdiction.

· The GC is responsible for construction means, methods, techniques, sequences, procedures, and the acts and omissions of its subcontractors and suppliers.

· The GC shall coordinate its work with LEAD, the Owner’s Representative, MZA, the MEP/FP partners, the separate demolition contractor, and other parties identified by LEAD II. Preconstruction Services

· Attend and actively participate in design, owner, cost, schedule, and coordination meetings

· Review drawings and specifications at each design milestone and provide written constructability, scope-gap, sequencing, logistics, and cost feedback.

· Maintain a current estimate and reconcile changes between design milestones, clearly identifying quantities, unit costs, escalation, allowances, contingencies, assumptions, exclusions, and variances from prior estimates

· Develop and maintain the master project schedule, procurement schedule, design-decision schedule, and long-lead register.

· Provide value-engineering alternatives with quantified cost and schedule impacts and clear description of program / quality implications.

· Immediately upon award, engage, coordinate, and manage the MEP/FP design-build partners so their required design, pricing, permitting, coordination, and procurement deliverables proceed concurrently with preconstruction services and on the schedule required to support permit submission and GMP development.

· Develop bid packages, bidder lists, scope sheets, bid leveling, and subcontractor recommendations.

· Identify proposed early-release or long-lead commitments and obtain LEAD’s written authorization before committing LEAD to such costs.

· Prepare the GMP proposal and supporting open-book documentation in the format required by LEAD, including a complete assumptions / exclusions log, allowances and contingencies, and a register of unresolved design / document gaps showing the proposed cost treatment and plan for reconciliation as the documents are completed.

III. GMP Development and Open Book Procurement

· As part of GMP development, the GC shall competitively solicit and obtain at least three (3) qualified bids for each major trade package, unless LEAD approves an alternative in writing. The GC shall conduct the trade procurement process in compliance with all applicable LEAD procurement policies.

· The GC shall fully document the trade bidding and selection process and make it transparent to LEAD and its representatives. LEAD shall have access to all subcontractor bids, bid tabs, leveling sheets, scope clarifications, assumptions, exclusions, bidder communications and recommendations, allowances, contingencies, proposed fee calculations, and other backup supporting the GMP.

· No undisclosed affiliate, related-party, or self-performed trade pricing may be included in the GMP. Such work must be specifically disclosed and demonstrated to be competitive to LEAD’s satisfaction.

· The GMP shall clearly distinguish Cost of the Work, General Conditions, GC/CM fee, overhead and profit (if separate), contingency, allowances, bond premiums, insurance, taxes, design-build fees, alternates, and any other material cost category.

· LEAD may request scope changes, value engineering, rebidding, or further reconciliation before accepting the GMP.

IV. Site Management and Temporary Facilities

· The GC shall inspect the site and available existing-condition information and shall identify material risks or information gaps during preconstruction.

· The GC shall independently verify field conditions reasonably necessary for its work and promptly notify LEAD and MZA of concealed, hazardous, structural, utility, environmental, or other conditions materially affecting the Project.

· The GC shall coordinate turnover from the separate demolition contractor and document any condition that could affect the GMP, schedule, safety, or subsequent work before assuming responsibility for the applicable area.

· Existing drawings, surveys, reports, and other information furnished by LEAD are provided for use in the Project but do not relieve the GC of its obligation to perform reasonable field verification.

V. Permits and Regulatory Compliance The parties will establish a permit-responsibility matrix during preconstruction. The GC shall support its MEP/FP partners and MZA in timely permit submissions and shall obtain construction-related permits, inspections, trade permits, and approvals assigned to the GC in the final contract. The GC shall promptly identify permitting risks that could affect the schedule.

VI. Protection of Existing Facilities and Campus

· Protect all existing buildings, utilities, equipment, roads, sidewalks, landscaping, and improvements designated to remain.

· Develop temporary protection, weather protection, security, access-control, and site-separation measures appropriate to the work.

· Coordinate noisy, disruptive, hazardous, or shutdown-related work with LEAD and any adjacent operations.

· Repair damage caused by the GC or its subcontractors at the GC’s expense, subject to final contract terms.

VII. Hazardous Materials The GC shall review available hazardous-material reports and coordinate with LEAD regarding known or suspected asbestos, lead, mold, PCBs, refrigerants, or other regulated materials. The GC shall not disturb hazardous materials outside its authorized and properly licensed scope. Unanticipated suspect materials shall be secured and promptly reported to LEAD.

VIII. Utilities and Temporary Services The GC shall investigate utility conditions, coordinate shutdowns, protect utilities to remain, and plan required temporary utilities and services. Unauthorized interruption of active utilities is prohibited. Construction-phase responsibilities and cost treatment shall be reflected in the GMP.

IX. Safety, Security and Site Access The GC is responsible for the safety of its employees, subcontractors, suppliers, visitors, and construction operations and shall maintain a written safety program compliant with OSHA and other applicable requirements. The GC shall comply with LEAD’s campus access, identification, conduct, parking, security, and background-check requirements, if any, as finalized before construction.

X. Subcontractors and Suppliers

· The GC remains fully responsible for all subcontractors and suppliers.

· Subcontractors shall be properly licensed, qualified, insured, and legally authorized to perform their assigned work

· The GC shall not materially change proposed key subcontractor / design-build partners without LEAD approval where such firms were specifically evaluated as part of the proposal.

· The GC shall maintain procurement records sufficient to demonstrate competitive process and scope coverage XI. Schedule and Coordination The GC shall develop, maintain, and regularly update a detailed CPM or equivalent project schedule identifying design decisions, procurement activities, long-lead items, permits, inspections, construction activities, commissioning, closeout, and substantial-completion milestones. The GC shall promptly identify delays and propose recovery actions. The current substantial-completion target for Buildings A and B is June 30, 2027; the connector / covered activity area remains subject to final scope and any LEAD-directed separate phasing.

XII. Changes in the Work No change in scope, additional work, or deviation that increases cost or time shall be undertaken without written authorization from LEAD, except in an emergency requiring immediate action to protect life or property. Change requests shall include sufficient cost and schedule backup and shall use the markups disclosed in Exhibit B, subject to the final contract.

XIII. Payment and Documentation Construction-phase payment applications shall be supported by an approved schedule of values and such invoices, subcontractor backup, lien waivers, payroll information, certified reports, and other documentation as reasonably required by LEAD and the lender. Preconstruction compensation will be payable at LEAD’s financial closing in accordance with the executed preconstruction agreement.

XIV. Insurance, Builder’s Risk, and Indemnification The GC shall maintain the insurance required by the final RFP and contract, expected to include commercial general liability, automobile liability, workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, umbrella/excess liability, and such professional and pollution/environmental coverage as applicable to the GC’s scope and design-build team.

LEAD’s insurance advisor has advised that, when construction begins at the Metroplex property, LEAD’s existing property carrier will not be able to continue property coverage on the existing buildings during the course of construction. Accordingly, the GC will be required to carry coverage for the existing buildings and ensure that Builder’s Risk / course-of-construction coverage is in force before construction begins so that there is no lapse in coverage for the buildings. The final coverage structure, limits, deductibles, insured parties, loss-payee requirements, endorsements, allocation of premiums, and effective dates will be confirmed by LEAD and its insurance advisor before contract execution.

[LEAD COUNSEL / INSURANCE TO CONFIRM BEFORE RELEASE OR AWARD: final indemnification language; liability limitations, if any; treatment of consequential damages; third-party claims; delay-related damages; damage to existing buildings; professional-liability requirements for design-build professionals; and all insurance limits / endorsements.

XV. Performance and Payment Bond Each Proposer shall disclose its current bonding capacity and identify the proposed performance-and-payment bond premium / rate in Exhibit B. Final performance-and-payment bond requirements will be established by LEAD in the final contract documents before construction authorization.

XVI. Quality, Inspections, and Correction of Work The GC shall maintain a project-specific quality-control program, coordinate required inspections and testing, and promptly correct defective or nonconforming work. LEAD and its representatives may observe and inspect the work without assuming responsibility for the GC’s means, methods, safety, or quality-control obligations.

XVII. Records and Audit Rights The GC shall maintain complete and auditable project records, including estimates, bids, buyout data, subcontracts, purchase orders, change documentation, invoices, payroll and cost records, meeting records, schedules, and other information supporting amounts charged to the Project. Open-book records supporting the GMP and cost of work shall be available to LEAD and its authorized representatives in accordance with the final contract.

XVIII. Completion and Closeout Contractor shall maintain confidentiality of all student, staff, and operational information in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including FERPA where applicable.

XIX. Owners Rights, Suspension, and Termination The GC shall manage punch list, testing, commissioning coordination, training, record documents, warranties, attic stock / spare materials if required, permit closeout, and other turnover requirements necessary for substantial and final completion. The GC shall maintain a detailed closeout plan sufficiently early to protect the June 30, 2027 substantial-completion target.

XX. Governing Law The procurement and any resulting agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, subject to final review by LEAD counsel.

7. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following Special Terms and Conditions shall apply to this solicitation and any resulting contract I. Separate Demolition / Early-Work Contract Demolition / early-work for Buildings A and B is a separate LEAD procurement and contract. The selected GC shall not include responsibility for that separate work in its preconstruction fee or GMP unless LEAD later expressly authorizes a transfer or additional scope in writing. The GC shall, however, coordinate schedule, turnover, existing conditions, interfaces, and any scope gaps with the separate demolition contractor.

II. Required MEP/FP Team Commitment The MEP/FP firms identified in the proposal are considered part of the evaluated team. The selected GC shall engage them immediately upon award so design, coordination, pricing, permitting support, and procurement planning begin concurrently with preconstruction services and in time to support the project’s permit and GMP milestones. Any proposed substitution must be disclosed to and approved by LEAD before the substitute begins work.

III. Preconstruction Fee and Timing of Payment The selected GC will begin authorized preconstruction services following award. LEAD will pay the agreed preconstruction fee at financial closing. Proposers shall price both the fixed-fee and percentage alternatives in Exhibit B. Any reimbursable expenses must be expressly identified; undisclosed reimbursables will be deemed included in the proposed fee.

IV. GMP Timing and Construction Authorization The parties will work toward a fully supported GMP in early December 2026, with the current objective of completing GMP negotiation before the year-end holiday break. The November for Construction (Permit) set is expected to serve as the principal final pricing input. The period between permit-set issuance and GMP completion shall be used to resolve assumptions, document gaps, scope clarifications, and pricing reconciliation. Because design may continue through December, the GMP must clearly identify all remaining allowances, contingencies, assumptions, exclusions, and unresolved design items and state how each will be reconciled as the documents are completed. No construction phase is authorized solely by selection under this RFP. Construction may proceed only after LEAD approves the GMP and the parties execute the required construction-phase agreement / amendment and LEAD issues written authorization to proceed.

V. Liquidated Damages LEAD does not currently contemplate liquidated damages as part of this RFP. Final schedule remedies, if any, will be addressed in the negotiated contract documents.

VI. Confidentiality The GC shall maintain the confidentiality of non-public financial information, security plans, procurement materials, design documents, cost estimates, GMP data, student/staff information, and other information reasonably understood to be confidential, subject to applicable law and the final contract.

VII. Assignment The selected GC may not assign or delegate its agreement or material responsibilities without LEAD’s prior written consent. This restriction does not prohibit ordinary subcontracting consistent with the proposal and contract documents.

8. Communication after Issuance of RFP I. Bidder to Review RFP Proposers should promptly examine all documents comprising this RFP and direct questions or requests for clarification only to the RFP Contact by the published question deadline. LEAD is not responsible for information provided by any source other than the RFP Contact or formal addenda.

II. All New Information to Bidder by way of Addendum This RFP may be amended only by addendum. Addenda form an integral part of this RFP, and Proposers are responsible for obtaining and acknowledging all addenda issued by LEAD.

III. Verify, Clarify, and Supplement During evaluation, LEAD may request information from Proposers or third parties to verify, clarify, or supplement proposal information, including staffing commitments, references, financial capacity, bonding, insurance, and technical requirements. LEAD may revisit its evaluation based on such information.

IV. Notification of other Bidders Once an agreement is executed with a selected Proposer, LEAD may notify other Proposers directly and/or by public posting of the procurement outcome.

9. Conflict of Interest and Prohibited Conduct I. Proposers shall disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest involving LEAD, its employees, Board members, representatives, consultants, or other project participants. A conflict includes any situation where a Proposer has an unfair competitive advantage, inappropriate access to confidential information, or another relationship or financial interest that could impair objective performance or the integrity of the procurement process.

II. Disqualification for Conflict of Interest LEAD may disqualify a Proposer, rescind an invitation to negotiate, or terminate a subsequently executed agreement if LEAD determines that the Proposer failed to disclose a conflict, attempted to influence the procurement improperly, or engaged in prohibited conduct.

III. No Lobbying/Prohibited Communications Proposers shall not communicate with LEAD decision makers or other unauthorized persons for the purpose of influencing the procurement. All procurement communications must follow the RFP contact protocol.

IV. Illegal or Unethical Conduct Proposers must not engage in bid-rigging, price-fixing, bribery, fraud, coercion, collusion, gifts intended to influence the process, misrepresentation, or other conduct that compromises or could reasonably be viewed as compromising the competitive process.

10. Past Performance or Past Conduct LEAD may consider a Proposer’s past performance, refusal to honor prior commitments, material disputes, safety record, ethical conduct, undisclosed conflicts, or other information relevant to responsibility and the likelihood of successful performance.

11. Procurement Process Non-Binding I. No Contract and No Claims This procurement process is not intended to create and will not create a formal, legally binding bidding process and will instead be governed by the law applicable to direct commercial negotiations. For greater certainty and without limitation:

a) this RFP will not give rise to any Contract A–based tendering law duties or any other legal obligations arising out of any process contract or collateral contract; and neither the Bidder nor LEAD Public Schools will have the right to make any claims (in contract, tort, or otherwise) against the other with respect to the award of a contract, failure to award a contract, or failure to honor a proposal submitted in response to this RFP.

I. No Contract until Execution of Written Agreement No legal relationship regarding the procurement of services will be created until LEAD and the selected Proposer execute a written agreement. Proposal submission, ranking, notice of intent, or negotiation does not constitute authorization to perform work unless LEAD separately provides written authorization.

12. Cancellation LEAD may cancel, suspend, amend, or reissue this RFP process at any time without liability, subject to applicable law.

Exhibits Exhibit A – Scope of Services Exhibit B – Pricing Proposal Form Exhibit C – Suspension and Debarment Certification Exhibit D – Non-Collusion Affidavit Exhibit E – Authorization to Release Information Exhibit F – Insurance Requirements Exhibit G – Preconditions for Award Exhibit H – Owner-Provided Documents List

The following owner-provided documents are intended to give Proposers sufficient information to understand the current design, project schedule, existing-building conditions, site constraints, and the interface with the separately procured demolition / early-work package. Unless expressly incorporated into the final contract documents, these materials are provided for reference and remain subject to field verification and design development.

H1 – Current MZA architectural / design set for Buildings A and B and the connector / covered activity area, clearly identified by issue date and design status.

H2 – Current MZA / Owner project and design milestone schedule, including the targeted November 2026 For Construction (Permit) submission, early December 2026 GMP process, and June 30, 2027 substantial-completion milestone for Buildings A and B.

H3 – Current site plan and topographic survey, together with available current civil / utility information needed to understand site access, logistics, grading, utility interfaces, and site work.

H4 – Available historical / record drawings for Buildings A and B, for reference only and subject to field verification.

H5 – Final separate demolition / early-work scope documents, drawings, and current schedule / turnover requirements, provided solely to define coordination, sequencing, and handoff conditions. The demolition / early-work contract remains a separate responsibility.

H6 – Current geotechnical information relevant to remaining site, structural, foundation, or connector work, if applicable.

H7 – Current structural, roof, building-envelope, or utility-condition reports specifically identified by LEAD and MZA as directly affecting the remaining construction scope after demolition.

LEAD may issue updated architectural, civil, structural, or other design information by formal addendum as the design advances. Additional existing-condition and diligence materials may be made available to the selected GC during preconstruction as needed for investigation, design coordination, estimating, and GMP development. Only documents listed in the RFP package or subsequently issued by LEAD through formal addendum should be treated as proposer reference documents for this procurement.

LEAD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EXHIBIT A- SCOPE OF WORK

Project scope LEAD Public Schools is acquiring and converting the existing property at 444 Metroplex Drive in Nashville into a K–5 school campus with related administrative, professional-development, and community space.

The project currently includes:

· Renovation of Building B for the complete K–5 academic program, including classrooms, student-support spaces, cafeteria, and kitchen.

· Renovation of Building A for LEAD offices, NEST programming, professional development, community uses, meetings, storage, and other support functions. Building A is not currently planned for regular student instruction.

· Required demolition and reconstruction within both buildings.

· A covered outdoor basketball court/pavilion.

· A covered walkway or connection between Buildings A and B.

· Related site, civil, utility, accessibility, life-safety, structural, roofing, and building-envelope improvements.

· A separate $1 million kitchen build-out allowance, clearly identified within the project budget and GMP.

· Permitting, inspections, testing, commissioning, occupancy approvals, and project closeout.

· Completion in time for LEAD’s planned summer 2027 occupancy and school opening.

The selected General Contractor will enter into an at-risk GMP agreement and provide services from preconstruction and GMP development through construction, occupancy, closeout, and warranty. The contractor will also provide design-build mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire-protection, and related engineering services, coordinated with LEAD’s architect and consultants.

General Contractor deliverables The General Contractor will be responsible for:

· Reviewing the design documents, technical reports, and existing site conditions.

· Confirming the scope, phasing, construction logistics, and overall project schedule.

· Preparing progressive cost estimates and identifying cost or schedule risks.

· Recommending value-engineering and cost-control options.

· Competitively bidding major subcontractor and trade packages through an open-book process.

· Developing a complete proposed GMP with bid support, assumptions, allowances, contingencies, fees, general conditions, insurance, bonding, and exclusions.

· Identifying early-release and long-lead work needed to maintain the schedule.

· Providing and coordinating design-build MEP and related engineering services.

· Managing demolition, renovation, site work, and construction.

· Managing safety, quality, subcontractors, inspections, testing, submittals, RFIs, changes, budget, and schedule.

· Providing regular progress, schedule, procurement, and cost reporting.

· Completing commissioning, training, punch-list work, as-built documents, warranties, lien releases, and final closeout.

· Supporting LEAD through occupancy, final completion, and the warranty period.

Roles and responsibilities

EXHIBIT B – Pricing Proposal Form General Contractor Services Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) / General Contractor Services with GMP Proposer Name: _______________________________________ Project Name: _______________________________________ Date: _______________________________________

Proposers shall complete every line. If a cost is included in another line, state “Included in ______” rather than leaving the line blank. All percentages must identify the base to which the percentage applies.

Pricing Component | Required Proposal / Basis

1. General Conditions / Corporate Overhead | Identify proposed general conditions and corporate overhead treatment, including the basis for any monthly, fixed, or percentage charge.

2. GC Profit / Fee | __________% of Cost of the Work or other stated basis; define the exact calculation base.

3. Proposed Construction Contingency | __________% proposed; describe permitted uses and approval / reconciliation process.

4. GC Change Order Markup | __________%; define the base to which the markup applies.

5. Subcontractor Change Order Markup | __________% maximum; define the base to which the markup applies.

6. Performance & Payment…