The Milford School Committee formally introduced Next Level as the owner’s project manager (OPM) for the proposed new Milford High School and received a briefing on the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) designer‑selection process and project timeline.

James, the Next Level project director, told the committee he and his team will lead day‑to‑day management of the project after the committee and the MSBA approved the OPM contract. “Monday, we had the MSP OPM panel review, and we officially signed the contract,” he said. He explained the MSBA process to committee members, who have been working in the project’s eligibility and early planning phases.

James laid out the near‑term procurement steps: the district will post a request for services in the central register, designers will submit credentials and master brochures, and an MSBA‑led designer selection panel—composed of MSBA representatives plus three district designees—will review submissions. Under the timeline James presented, the central register ad would appear Nov. 19, submissions would be due Dec. 17, the MSBA panel would meet to rank firms in mid‑January, and interviews of finalists were scheduled later that month.

On sequencing, James said the district submitted its statement of interest in January 2023, was accepted in December 2023, completed an eligibility phase through June 2025, and is now beginning the designer procurement and feasibility study. He described the feasibility study as about a 20‑month process and said the project team is aiming for MSBA approvals through the remainder of the process; if the schedule holds the district would go to town meeting for a construction funding vote in May 2027 and pursue construction thereafter, with a target in the late 2020s for completion.

James also reminded the committee that MSBA funding focuses on academic spaces and that certain facilities previously in the district’s program, such as the existing pool, are treated as grandfathered elements in MSBA reviews.

Committee members thanked James and discussed participation by school committee and town officials in the MSBA selection panel. No formal committee action was taken at the meeting; the project team will post procurement notices and return to the committee with designer submissions and selection recommendations.

The committee’s eventual decisions about options—including code upgrades, addition/renovation alternatives and new construction—will be developed and analyzed during the feasibility study required by the MSBA.