By a 4-0 vote Tuesday night, the School Committee approved a $175,000 contract with Symmes Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA), the long-term planning consultant it previously hired to develop a facilities and education plan for the district, to provide Warwick Public Schools (WPS) consulting services needed to meet Rhode Island Department of Education’s (RIDE) Stage 1 and Stage 2 Application for Construction regulations. Jennifer Ahearn was absent from the meeting.

Chief Budget Officer Anthony Ferrucci explained that at its July 12 meeting, the school committee authorized administration to send in a letter of intent to RIDE reflecting the decision to proceed with the process to secure $90.8 million of capital bond funds for repairs and maintenance to school buildings. RIDE’s involvement includes oversight and the authorization of state assistance known as housing aid. The potential housing aid available to WPS through RIDE is approximately $36.3 million, which is 40 percent of qualified projects. In order to secure RIDE’s support, it requires a Stage 1 assessment, which is due Oct. 14, and a further detailed Stage 2 assessment, which is due Feb. 1, 2017.

Ferrucci said in 2007, RIDE implemented new regulations for obtaining state housing aid for capital bond fund projects, which include stage 1 and 2 assessments of buildings. Due to the tight deadlines and the fact that SMMA has already performed some of the work and is knowledgeable regarding the district’s situation, having prepared a long-term facilities and education plan, Ferrucci recommended awarding the contract to SMMA.

“Although this expense is not budgeted and the expense will have to be covered by contingencies not yet realized, I recommend awarding this contract due to the complexity of the regulations and the magnitude of the initiative $36.3 million to the city of Warwick,” Ferrucci wrote in a recommendation letter to Superintendent Philip Thornton.

According to SMMA’s proposal, the scope of services would include: performing a visual, non-destructive, verification of assessments of each facility and site; a determination of required capital and maintenance projects required for the next five years; “preliminary” schematic design documents depicting new construction, additions, roofs, windows and similar work will be prepared; incorporation of Northeast Collaborative of High Performance Schools (NE-CHPS) protocols; assist the school department in the development, formatting and incorporation of components to be provided by the district; and provide a detailed independent cost estimate for recommended repair and replacement projects.

SMMA also said it would have meetings with school department representatives during the development, draft, and final Stage submittals; city officials to facilitate a positive understanding of submittals; parents, students, and residents to affirm knowledge of the process and its implications for education; and RIDE representatives as appropriate for Stage I and II submittals.

Ferrucci said the department would know by June 2017 whether it had been approved.

School committee member Terri Medeiros asked if RIDE would be aware of everything Warwick is doing along the way throughout the process.

Edward Frenette, senior vice president of SMMA, said that would be case.

“We’ve already met with RIDE, who are aware of what we’re doing, and so far we’re on track and meeting specifications,” Frenette said.

In other action, the committee approved the following budgeted contract awards: $8,890 for voice over Internet protocol expansion and the relocation of computer rack equipment to another area at Norwood School to open up space for students; $19,295 for the renewal district-wide anti-virus software; $23,600 for the purchase of LCD projectors and Blu-ray players for teachers; $18,575 for the purchase of Explore Learning Gizmos, a program that allows students to simulate science lab experiments on Chromebooks, with math applications as well; $51,326 for Iron Mountain Records Retention Services, in which Iron Mountain will assist with the triage of old records on file going back 30 to 40 years in terms of what can be shredded legally and the set up of a new system for records that must be maintained for at least 10 years; $38,320 for the purchase of Legos Robotics instructional materials for the junior high robotics exploratory course; $12,084 for the purchase of Kindergarten math materials; $47,611 for the purchase of Wilson Reading Kits and materials for Kindergarten; and $12,750 for the purchase of Wilson Reading Program professional development presenter to work with 50 teachers, $8,350 of which comes from federal funds. The committee also approved a one-year only grant-funded English Learner Coach position to work with teachers to improve instruction in the classroom.

Due to the primary election being held on Tuesday, Sept. 13, the school committee’s monthly September meeting has been moved up a week and will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Toll Gate High School.