Project Glossary

BRR – Budget Revision Request

  • Function of the MSBA’s project financial process to move monies between project cost codes. BRR’s are managed by the Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) with approval from the Owner and MSBA.

CD – Construction Documents 

  • Construction Documents are the consolidation of the Uniform General and Supplementary Conditions; Owner’s Special Conditions and Specifications; and the Drawings, Specifications, details, Change Orders and other documents prepared by Architects/Engineers, their consultants, and by Owner’s consultants that describe the scope and quality of the Project with the materials, supplies, equipment, systems, and other elements that are required for construction of the Project that are accepted by Owner. Construction Documents provide the contractual relationship between Owner/Designer and the individual contractor constructing the project.

CO – Change Order

  • A written document between the owner and the contractor signed by the owner and the contractor authorizing a change in the work or an adjustment in the contract sum or the contract time.

DCAMM – Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance

  • DCAMM is responsible for capital planning, public building construction, facilities management, and real estate services for the Commonwealth.

DD – Design Development 

  • The Design Development phase is for the Architect to define and develop all aspects of the project including the exterior and interior materials that will be utilized in the Final Construction Contract Documents for the Project. Engineers, under direction from the Architect, also contribute to defining and developing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, plumbing systems, electrical systems, and other miscellaneous systems required for construction of the New School Building.

DSP – Designer Selection Panel

  • The MSBA Designer Selection Panel (DSP) has jurisdiction over the procurement of designers in connection with cities, towns, regional school districts, and independent agricultural and technical schools seeking funding from the MSBA for public school construction projects whose estimated construction cost is anticipated to be $5,000,000 or greater. The DSP designer selection process incorporates the procedures required by the General Laws of Massachusetts pertaining to designer services for public building construction (Chapter 7C, Section 44, et seq.).

Feasibility Study 

  • A study based on a Project Program to determine a project budget, schedule and requirements for starting a Capital Improvement Project. The feasibility study usually includes a conceptual design, site investigation such as geotechnical and utility infrastructure, cost estimating including construction costs, project management fees, financing requirements and investigation into any issue that will have an effect on the outcome of the project. A report is provided to describe if the project is feasible and what will be required to move forward with the project.

GMP – Guaranteed Maximum Price

  • The agreed upon maximum price between the Contractor and Owner to build a project per the drawings and specifications developed.

LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

  • LEED is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.

MAAB – MA Architectural Access Board (AAB)

  • MA Architectural Access Board (AAB) develops and enforces regulations designed to make public buildings accessible to, functional for, and safe for use by persons with disabilities.

MBE – Minority-Owned Business Enterprise

  • A business enterprise that is owned and controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged persons.

MCPPO – Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official

  • The local official responsible for overseeing procurement of supplies, services, design and construction in accordance with public procurement laws that has been certified by the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General. The OPM and Designer are also required to have a dedicated person who is MCPPO certified.

MSBA – Massachusetts School Building Authority

  • The Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”) is a quasi-independent government authority created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools. The MSBA strives to work with local communities to create affordable, sustainable, and energy efficient schools across Massachusetts. Visit the MSBA website to learn more.

OPM – Owner’s Project Manager

  • The Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) provides project management guidance throughout the life of a public school project. The MSBA requires an OPM to be hired for all core program projects. The duties of the OPM include, but are not limited to: providing advice and consultation with respect to design, value engineering, scope of work, and cost estimating; general contractor and subcontractor prequalification; scheduling, construction, and the selection and negotiation with, and oversight of, a designer and a general contractor for the project; and ensuring the preparation of time schedules, and assisting in project evaluations. The MMRHS Building Committee selected Skanska USA Building, Inc. to serve as the Owner’s Projects Manager for the MMRHS Building Project.

PDP – Preliminary Design Program

  • PDP is the first reporting stage during the feasibility study phase where the district and its team collaborate with the MSBA to document their educational program, generate an initial space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives and recommend the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate alternatives to the MSBA for further evaluation in the PSR phase.

PFA – Project Funding Agreement 

  • The Project Funding Agreement (“PFA”) is a standard contract that the MSBA enters into with Districts whose school projects have been approved by the MSBA’s Board of Directors to receive a school building grant from the MSBA. The PFA governs the relationship between the District and the MSBA during the school building process from design through construction and completion of a project. 

PSBA – Project Scope and Budget Agreement

  • The Project Scope and Budget Agreement (“PSBA”) is a standard contract that the MSBA enters into with Districts that have a proposed school project. The PSBA is executed after the feasibility study and documents the project scope, budget, schedule, and potential MSBA participation for a proposed project.

PSR – Preferred Schematic Report

PSR is the second reporting stage during the feasibility study phase where the district and its team collaborate with the MSBA to refine their educational program and space summary, further develop and evaluate alternatives and recommend the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate solution to the MSBA Board of Directors for consideration before progressing into Schematic Design.

Pro-Pay

  • Through its “pay-as-you-build” Progress Payment System, the MSBA reimburses districts for eligible project costs during construction. After a community enters into a Project Funding Agreement with the MSBA and submits project costs that have been incurred and paid locally, the MSBA audits the submitted invoices and reimburses the district for eligible project costs. The MSBA typically makes payment within 15 days of receiving the reimbursement request. 

RFS – Request for Services

  • The document utilized by the District and SBC to solicit qualifications for Architect and Owner’s Project Manager firms for the project.

SBC – School Building Committee

  • SBC or BC is the committee formed and to act on behalf of the municipality to oversee and initiate the school building project while collaborating with the community, consultants and the MSBA to determine the appropriate solution for the school building in the most fiscally responsible, sustainable, flexible and educationally appropriate manner as it progresses from the study phases through building completion.

SC – School Committee

SD – Schematic Design 

  • SD is the final reporting stage where the district and its team develop a final design program and robust schematic design of sufficient detail to establish the scope, budget, and schedule for the proposed project.

SOI – Statement of Interest

  • Submitting an SOI is the critical first step in the MSBA’s program to partially fund the construction, renovation, addition or repair of municipality or regionally owned school facilities located in cities, towns and regional school districts. The SOI allows districts to inform the MSBA about deficiencies that may exist in a local school facility and how those deficiencies inhibit the delivery of the district’s educational program.

SOV – Schedule of Values

  • A statement furnished by the contractor to the architect or engineer reflecting the portions of the contract sum allotted for the various parts of the work and used as the basis for reviewing the contractor’s applications for progress payments.

WBE – Women-Owned Business Enterprise

  • A business enterprise that is owned and controlled by majority female.