605: (GCCM) Form D-5/D-6: Application for Preliminary Funding Status
605: (GCCM) Form D-5/D-6: Application for Preliminary Funding StatusD-5/D-6 (Application for Preliminary Funding Status)
The D-5 form is essentially a check-in during design phase but with some key assurances provided by the district. The Environmental Review (SEPA) is typically the most time-sensitive item to be submitted with the D-5 and the site review/building walkthrough with the district’s regional coordinator often occurs around this time, as well.
The D-5 must be submitted to OSPI no later than one year from the D-4 issuance date.
The D-6, or D-6(1) in the case of front-funded projects prior to their release of funds, is the approval document (with letter) issued for the D-5 per WAC 392-342-050. It is important to note that a D-6 will not be issued with non-front-funded projects until the funds are made available by the Legislature, July 15th of that project’s release year.
D-5 Items Submission Checklist (For Design-Bid-Build Projects)
| Item No. | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Resolution Certifying that the site will not create or aggravate racial imbalance | |
| 2 | Letter certifying that the school district has obtained capital funds for this project including the date of passage and type of capital funds available | This letter must include the date the bond was passed and the bond amount |
| 3 | Statement of compliance with chapter 197-11 WAC SEPA rules and a copy of the lead agency decision at completion of the SEPA review process. | The submission of compliance should include the statement from the district as well as the DNS or MDNS that shows the outcome. Obtaining SEPA can take some time, so be sure to plan accordingly in order to meet the requirements of D-5. |
| 4 | Copy of school district’s board of director’s minutes approving education specifications | This is acceptable as a resolution, as well, but the board meeting minutes will suffice. It does not have to be signed, as meeting minutes are typically signed and approved at the next board meeting. However, the language needs to clearly identify the project name and that education specifications are being addressed, and it must indicate that those education specifications were approved, not simply reviewed or looked at. |
| 5 | If authority to proceed using local funds is desired, a letter stating the district’s intent to “front fund” the project must be submitted. | This can be combined with item number 3, the letter certifying that the district has obtained capital funds for the project. |
| 6 | High Performance: Preliminary Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol (WSSP) or LEED scorecard | The newest version of the WSSP scorecard can be found on the OSPI School Facilities & Organization web page. |
| 7 |
Alternative Public Works Uploads:
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Site Walkthrough with OSPI Regional Coordinator
Pursuant to WAC 392-342-020, OSPI “together with the school district shall conduct a review and evaluation of sites for new and existing state funding assisted projects.” While not specifically a component of the D-5 requirements, this walkthrough is typically done with the regional coordinator around the time of the D-5 submission. With that said, school districts should refer to these guidelines prior to finalizing its selection of a site.
In selecting sites for schools, a district shall consider the follow:
- The property upon which the school facility is or will be located is free of all encumbrances that would detrimentally interfere with the construction, operation, and useful life of the facility;
- The site is of sufficient size to meet the needs of the facility. The minimum acreage of the site should be five usable acres and one additional usable acre for each one hundred students or portion thereof of projected maximum enrollment plus an additional five usable acres if the school contains any grade above grade six. A district considering the use of a site that is less than the recommended minimum usable acreage should assure that:
- The health and safety of the students will not be in jeopardy (see Health & Safety Worksheet below);
- The internal spaces within the proposed facility will be adequate for the proposed educational program;
- The neighborhood in which the school facility is or will be situated will not be detrimentally impacted by lack of parking for students, employees, and the public; and
- The physical education and recreational program requirements will be met.
- A site review or predesign conference has been conducted with all appropriate local code agencies in order to determine design constraints;
- A geotechnical engineer has conducted a limited subsurface investigation to gather basic information regarding potential foundation and subgrade performance.
Health & Safety Worksheet
Like the site walkthrough, The Health & Safety worksheet is not technically part of the D-5 application but is often submitted at that time. While not submitting it at the time of the D-5 submission will not necessarily hold up the issuance of the D-6(1), for the project to be eligible to receive SCAP funding in that given release yet it will need to be submitted to and accepted by OSPI no later than June 30th of that year.
The Health & Safety worksheet is a contributing factor for determining priority ranking of projects seeking SCAP funding assistance. (See Chapter 9: SCAP Priority System).