Managing change orders is crucial to ensure that modifications are documented and processed efficiently. A complete change order submission consists of:
- A signed and dated FORM SCG-042.CO Notice of Change Order;
- A completed FORM SCG-043.CO Change Order Summary; and
- All PDF including all corresponding backup information for each trade contractor.
Change order submissions must be emailed to DAS.scg.changeorder@ct.gov.
School Construction Change Order Eligibility
Projects that have received a grant commitment letter from the Office of Grants Administration, must follow these important guidelines regarding changes:
- Submission Timeline: All change order documentation—whether the requested changes involve an increase in costs, a reduction in costs, or no cost at all—must be submitted to our office. To be considered for review, all change order documentation must be received and date-stamped within six months of the issuance the change order.
- Project Cost Limitations: For projects with a total cost exceeding $10 million, please note that eligible change orders are limited to a maximum of five percent of the total project cost authorized by the Office of Grants Administration.
- Eligibility for Reimbursement: Only those change orders and change directives that have been reviewed and received a determination of eligibility letter from the DAS Real Estate and Construction Services will qualify for reimbursement.
Step-By-Step Instructions for School Construction Change Order Submission
- Electronically complete FORM SCG-043.CO State Change Order Summary.
- Include the state project number, “SCG-043.CO”, and the State Change Order Number (SCO No.) in the .xlsx filename for each change order.
- This workbook contains multiple spreadsheet tabs: Follow all guidance on the first tab labeled “Instructions” for completing the subsequent spreadsheets.
- Additional guidance: Preparing FORM SCG-043.CO
- Compile and organize state change order backup into a single PDF file and include the state project number and SCO No. in the filename.
- Organize and bookmark the PDF in the order of the entries as they are entered into the “Change Order” tab on the SCG-043.CO spreadsheet, or according to the PCO referenced in the CO Description at each spreadsheet line item.
- Additional guidance: Preparing your school construction change order backup materials
- Complete FORM SCG-042.CO Notice of Change Order and include the SCO No. in the PDF file name.
- Follow the instructions on Form SCG-042.CO INST.
- Electronic signatures are preferred.
- Additional guidance: Completing FORM SCG-042.CO Notice of Change Order
- Submit the completed and signed state change order package, including Form SCG-042.CO, SCG-043.CO spreadsheet and PDF backup.
- Ensure the electronic file names clearly indicate the associated SCO Number.
- All Change Orders submitted to DAS MUST BE NUMERICALLY SEQUENTIAL regardless of phasing, starting with SCO No. 01.
- Email the completed submission to DAS.scg.changeorder@ct.gov.
- The receipt date according to the inbox of this email address represents the “DATE RECEIVED BY DAS:” per Line 6 of the SCG-043.CO “Change Orders” tab.
- DAS uses this date to determine the six-month submission deadline pursuant to state statute.
Appeals
DAS evaluates State Change Orders (SCOs) based on the comprehensive documentation provided by the applicant. Following this review, a determination letter is issued for each submitted SCO.
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) have six months from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal regarding the eligibility determination.
To initiate the appeals process, LEAs and RESCs must:
- Submit a request to the designated shared email inbox for state change orders.
- Include the following information:
- A clear rationale for the appeal.
- A detailed list of specific items within the SCO for reconsideration; the re-review will concentrate exclusively on the specific items identified in the appeal.
Important Considerations Regarding Appeals
- Updates to Department forms or related policies do not apply retroactively. Thus, previous decisions will not be modified or re-evaluated based on changes made after the initial review.
- A common reason for requesting a re-review of an SCO is the introduction of new documentation not available during the initial assessment
- LEAs and RESCs are entitled to one re-review of an SCO following the original review and issuance of the determination letter.
