Bid scope review, Building B renovation, Copper Flats Middle School
The bid documents were reviewed item by item against AIA A201-2017 and the Supplementary General Conditions. Of 44 work items, 26 are clearly in the Contract and priced, 5 are clearly by the Owner, and 13 are unclear. Carrying the strong and medium unclear items as exclusions gives a base bid of $6,231,000 and documents $892,000 as potential change orders, led by door hardware and access control.
Copper Flats, KentuckyBid documents dated Oct 2, 2026, 5 filesLump-sum bid under AIA A201-2017Owner: Copper Flats Independent SchoolsBidder questions due Nov 16, 2026Prepared Nov 5, 2026
Summary
Door hardware and access control
Only rough-in is in the Contract: $454,000 has a strong change order basis
Section 28 10 00 limits access control to raceway and back boxes, and the hardware sets on A-611 point to an Appendix A of Section 08 71 00 that is not in the Project Manual (Document 00 01 10). Hardware for 118 openings, electrified hardware and the access control system at 36 openings are carried as exclusions, each with a pre-bid question.
Room Finish Schedule
Six third-floor rooms are marked for renovation but have no finishes scheduled
A-103 marks Rooms 301–306, 4,430 SF, as “Renovation area. Finishes per Room Finish Schedule,” but A-601 covers only the 46 first- and second-floor rooms. Medium basis, $134,000. Ask before bidder questions close on Nov 16.
In the Contract after all
Three items that look like change orders must be priced: $162,000
Firestopping of MEP penetrations, patching after the trades and temporary fire alarm coverage have no drawings. Sections 07 84 00, 01 73 29 and 01 50 00 still put them on the GC, so excluding them would not hold up.
Work items and exclusions
Choose how many of the unclear items to carry as exclusions. The base bid, the matrix and the list of clarifications update. Click an item to see the quotes from the documents, the assessment, and a draft clarification and pre-bid question.
Unclear items to carry as exclusions
Show
0Base bid
0
0Of which weak basis, at our risk if required
0Unclear items carried in the bid
Unclear items by probability and amount
13 items. Rows show the probability that the Owner will require the work, columns the estimate.
Strong basisMedium basisWeak basisFilled circle: excluded. Ring: in the bid.
All 44 items
Grouped by work group. Struck-through amounts are excluded at the chosen level.
Bid clarifications and exclusions (0)
Worded with the documents' own language. The list follows the chosen level.
Pre-bid questions (0)
Submit per the Instructions to Bidders before questions close on Nov 16, 2026. Answers issued by addendum become part of the Contract Documents and can replace the clarifications.
Sources and method
Sources
Project_Manual_Vol1_Div00-01.pdfBidding requirements, AIA A701 Instructions to Bidders, Supplementary General Conditions to AIA A201-2017 (Document 00 73 00), Table of Contents (Document 00 01 10) and Division 01148 pages
Project_Manual_Vol2_Div02-12.pdfDivisions 02 to 12, including 08 71 00 Door Hardware, Division 09 finishes and 10 14 00 Signage312 pages
Project_Manual_Vol3_Div22-28.pdfPlumbing, HVAC, electrical and communications, including 28 10 00 Access Control and 28 46 00 Fire Detection and Alarm286 pages
Drawings_Bid_Set_Bldg_B.pdfG, AD, A, S, M, P, E, T and FA sheets, including A-601 Room Finish Schedule and A-611 Door Schedule78 sheets
Asbestos_Inspection_Bldg_B.pdfPre-renovation asbestos inspection by an AHERA-accredited inspector, mastic sampled in four rooms26 pages
Method
Every document listed in Document 00 01 10 was read in full. The door schedule and drawings were checked against the specifications, and every reference to another document was checked against the Table of Contents.
The Work was split into 44 items in nine groups. Each item was classed as clearly in the Contract, clearly by the Owner, or unclear, based on what the documents say, with quotes and page or sheet references.
Unclear items were tested against AIA A201-2017 as modified by the Supplementary General Conditions: the Contract Documents are complementary and the Work includes what is reasonably inferable from them (Article 1), Specifications govern over Drawings (Document 00 73 00), hazardous materials not addressed in the Contract Documents (Article 10), and changes by Change Order or Construction Change Directive (Article 7).
The basis was graded strong where the documents expressly limit the work or rely on a document that was not issued, medium where the documents point different ways or the extent cannot be set, and weak where the work is incidental or expressly required.
The probability that the Owner will require the work and the estimate were assessed for each item. The base bid is recalculated for each level.
For each unclear item a bid clarification was drafted and, where the answer changes the price, a pre-bid question.
Assumptions and limitations
Estimates are our own, at November 2026 Kentucky price levels, including subcontractor markups, general conditions and fee. They have not been checked against subcontractor quotes.
Probability means the Owner requires the work during construction, not that a change order is approved.
This is a public bid. Qualifications and exclusions that depart from the bid documents can make a bid non-responsive. The clarifications therefore quote the documents' own language, and addenda answering the questions should replace them before bid day.
The Supplementary General Conditions do not modify the A201 provisions relied on here. Any addendum issued after Oct 2, 2026 means the review must be redone.
Existing conditions were not verified on site.
Items 10 and 44 rest on contract and code questions this review does not settle: construction counsel licensed in Kentucky should review the asbestos risk allocation, and the AHJ/fire marshal the fire alarm requirement.