Subcontract Plan Approved for Cookeville Police HQ

Cookeville will use a subcontracting method to help construct its new police department headquarters.

City Council members approved the proposed method during Thursday’s meeting.

American Enterprise Institute President Peter Metts said the process allows the primary contractor – chosen by the city – to accept bids from subcontractors to help keep costs low.

“We look at the lowest and best-qualifying bid to the general contractor,” Metts said, “and then we ask them to work with the city and the AE firm together through the rest of the design process as a service for budgeting, estimating, evaluating… anything we can do to help maintain and control the budget that surrounds the project.”

Metts told Council the same method was used to construct the Putnam County Services building which houses the county EMA and election commission. Metts said that project ultimately finished under budget.

Council members voted 4-0 to approve the plan with Councilman Eric Walker absent from the meeting.