FOIA request yields James City government center contracts, purchase orders
Project moving through final design stages, while work is underway to prepare site for construction
There’s little doubt that the new James City County Consolidated Government Center Complex is a significant investment, as the scope of the estimated $174 million project includes a new county office building and a new library. Off-site roadway improvements including roundabout installations are also planned. The county contends that consolidating government services into a new facility will prove more cost-effective in the long run.
The Williamsburg Independent recently submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for contract and payment documents related to the project, which the county provided free of charge.
The firm Henderson-Gilbane Joint Venture (HGJV) was hired by the county as the primary design-builder, and has also retained McDonough Bolyard Peck Inc. (MBP) to provide consulting and construction management services. Since then, project has proceeded through a series of interim agreements to manage development phases. These agreements facilitated the transition from initial programming and 30% design in 2024 to 100% design completion in 2025, a phase that incorporated the library requirements and site surveys.
With site work now underway, the project has moved from design into active construction. This phased structure is intended to define costs and site conditions as the project moves toward the completion of the government campus. Major project milestones based on project contracts and purchase orders are listed below, along with copies of the agreements provided by the county.
Animated view of the future James City County Consolidated Government Center
Project Timeline:
June 29, 2023 | Professional Consulting Services (MBP) | $21,963 | Initial funding for consulting services.
Purchase order to McDonough Bolyard Peck Inc. (MBP) for $21,963. This funding covered professional consulting services to review submissions under the Public Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) for the new Consolidated Government Center Complex. The county initiated this major infrastructure project after receiving an unsolicited PPEA proposal in December 2022, with additional proposals arriving by a May 2023 deadline. MBP’s expert evaluation of these submissions helped the county assess the project’s feasibility and evaluate proposals, ultimately paving the way for subsequent multi million dollar design and construction agreements with the Henderson Gilbane Joint Venture.
February 9, 2024 | Interim Agreement 1 (HGJV) | Preliminary design and programming services capped at $4,450,000
First Interim Agreement with the Henderson Gilbane Joint Venture (HGJV) to facilitate the evaluation of the Consolidated Government Center Complex. This foundational contract tasked HGJV with leading the preliminary design phase to reach the 30% completion milestone. The scope included finalizing the project’s space program, generating architectural site plans, and conducting critical site investigations such as topographic surveys, geotechnical studies, and traffic impact analyses. The agreement also mandated a robust community engagement process to ensure the design met citizen needs.
April 26, 2024 | $4,450,000 | A purchase order was issued to HGJV to formally encumber the funds for the 30% design phase, covering nearly $1.6 million for programming and $2.6 million for schematic design deliverables.
February 24, 2025 | Interim Agreement 2 (HGJV) | Advancement to 100% construction documents.
Authorized HGJV to advance the project design from the 30% concept to 100% completion. This phase transitioned the project into finalized, executable construction documents, allowing the design build team to lock in structural engineering and comprehensive site work plans. This stage was essential for generating the accurate pricing required for the forthcoming physical construction of the facility.
May 16, 2025 | $8,676,505 | A purchase order was issued to HGJV to fund the transition to 100% design, detailed engineering, and mechanical/electrical/plumbing blueprints.
May 16, 2025 | $924,949 | A supplemental purchase order was issued to HGJV to expand the project scope, integrating the architectural and structural requirements for a new library addition into the main design package.
November 6, 2025 | Interim Agreement 3 (HGJV) | Early construction and sitework capped at $16,100,851
Start of physical construction by authorizing the Early Sitework Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). This allowed HGJV to begin clearing the site, grading, and installing foundational underground utilities while final design details were resolved. Crucially, this document established a mutually agreed upon Target Budget of $174,427,347 for the entire Consolidated Government Center Complex project.
December 1, 2025 | $900,000 | A purchase order was issued to HGJV for off site roadway improvements, specifically the design and implementation of roundabouts to handle increased traffic volume.
December 4, 2025 | $16,100,851 | A purchase order was issued to formally encumber the funds for the Early Sitework GMP, providing the cash flow necessary to mobilize heavy equipment and subcontractors.
December 9, 2025 | Construction Management Services Contract (MBP) | Long term project oversight.
Finalized contract with MBP to provide continuous Construction Management Services through June 2028. This ensured the county had independent experts monitoring HGJV’s work, safeguarding financial interests, and verifying that physical construction adhered to the 100% design specifications and the $174 million target budget.
February 14, 2024 | $37,545 | An earlier purchase order was issued to MBP to secure their expertise as managers specifically during the initial design and preconstruction stages.
January 14, 2026 | $1,782,523 | A purchase order was issued to fund the full construction management contract, providing a dedicated team to monitor daily progress, evaluate change orders, and manage project schedules.
The writer used AI tools and these sources provided in .pdf format by James City County:
June 29, 2023: Purchase order for PPEA submissions review consulting services.
February 9, 2024: Initial interim agreement for preliminary design and space programming.
February 14, 2024: Purchase orders for design phase construction management services.
April 26, 2024: Purchase order encumbering funds for thirty percent design phase.
February 24, 2025: Second interim agreement for finalized construction documents and design.
May 16, 2025: Purchase order encumbering funds for finalized design and surveys.
May 16, 2025: Purchase order for additional design of a library addition.
November 6, 2025: Third interim agreement authorizing early sitework and target budget.
December 1, 2025: Purchase order for off-site roadway and roundabout infrastructure improvements.
December 4, 2025: Purchase order formally encumbering funds for early sitework construction.
December 9, 2025: Finalized contract for long-term project construction management services.
January 14, 2026: Purchase order funding the long-term construction management services contract.
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