Effingham County officials say taxpayers will not foot the bill for a firm chosen by the county to oversee phase 1 of development of the data center near Rincon. The county says either the developer or the company associated with the data center project will be responsible for those costs.
During Tuesday's county commissioner meeting, the board unanimously selected Charles Abbott Associates (CAA) to provide services including civil and site review, building and structural review, preconstruction coordination and construction inspections for the development.
OpenAI's $20 billion investment includes buildout of a1,440-acre campus near Hodgeville Road. Site plans for the AI infrastructure include two 35-foot-tall data center buildings, a 100,000-square-foot
warehouse, a 75,000-square-foot operations building and substations to support the project's electrical demand.
Jake Zeigler, director of public engagement services for Effingham County, said that while county staff is qualified to handle the duties, CAA will add another layer of oversight, while allowing county employees to continue handling other projects.
"Project Camellia is a complex development that will require extensive reviews and inspections throughout construction," he said. "Above all, the County is committed to making certain that Project Camellia is thoroughly reviewed, held to all applicable standards, and developed in a way that minimizes potential impacts on our residents and surrounding communities."
How much does the contract cost?
According to a spokesperson for the county, the contract does not have a fixed cost. Instead, CAA's compensation will depend on the services it provides.
"Charles Abbott Associates will receive 75% of the building permit and plan-review fees collected for the applicable buildings, with the County retaining the remaining 25%," said Zeigler. "Engineering and land-development services will be billed at $149 per hour for plan reviews and $169 per hour for site inspections."
Unlike traditional vendor services, the contract with CAA was not competitively bid because the county considers it a professional service contract. Ziegler said the difference between the two is documented in Effingham County's Purchasing and Procurement Policy and under Georgia law.
"Traditional vendor purchases generally involve goods or services that can be evaluated through competitive pricing and defined specifications," said Ziegler. "Professional services involve specialized knowledge and expertise, so the selection process places greater emphasis on qualifications, experience and demonstrated ability to perform the work."
The agreement has a five-year term and automatically renews. The county may terminate the agreement without cause with 30 days written notice. CAA may terminate the agreement with 60 days' notice, Zeigler said.
Although CAA will review and inspect work associated with the development, including construction of the site's first two buildings, Effingham County will retain its regulatory authority, Zeigler said.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Who will pay data center oversight? | Exclusive
