The Permanent Public Building Committee reviewed five submissions to the designer request-for-services (RFS) for the Pollard Middle School project and selected a committee member to serve on the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) designer selection panel.

Hank and project staff told the committee they received submissions from Arrowstreet, Dore & Whittier, HMFH Architects, JCJ Architecture and RDA. Staff noted the town had prior working experience with several of the firms; staff also reviewed proposed consultant teams and noted common educational‑programming consultants across the submissions.

Staff explained MSBA’s selection process: the MSBA panel includes 13 members and the town appoints three representatives. The town’s representatives convey local priorities to the MSBA selection panel. Committee members discussed capacity and prior work history of the submitting firms and the importance of matching staffing and schedule capacity to the project.

The committee nominated and unanimously approved Lynn as the town’s PBBC representative to serve with MSBA on the designer selection panel. Lynn said she had reviewed the submissions and was willing to serve. Staff said the first MSBA meeting is scheduled for May 6, with interviews and ranking at a second meeting around May 20, and that the town will present a short list of three firms to MSBA at the first meeting.

Staff said they will convene in person for the May 20 committee meeting to allow committee members to use scoring sheets and to conduct selection work in person.