PORT NECHES — Port Neches-Groves Independent School District is taking its first step — looking for a project manager — toward placing a bond on the November ballot.

The district is accepting Statements of Qualification for the job and the information will be used to qualify firms for projects associated with the PNGISD 2019 proposed bond, according to a recently published public notice in The Port Arthur News.

Assistant superintendent Julie Gauthier said the district is required to take this step — sent out Requests for Qualifications.

The RFQ for project manager will be on the district’s website on April 11 and the deadline to submit information is 2 p.m. May 2. After that, the district will go through the submitted materials and perform interviews in the hopes that a recommendation will be made by the May school board meeting.

The project manager, in this case, will assist in hiring an architect, research the cost of construction and more.

“Not only does the district watch how the money is spent but the project manager does so as well,” Gauthier said.

Earlier this year, school board officials announced they were bringing back talks of a bond. The issue was shelved several years ago, then there was a change in superintendents and Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey hit.

The recommendation made by a facilities committee in 2015 was to go from six to four elementary schools — two in Port Neches, two in Groves — combining the Port Neches administration building, West Groves administration building and the alternative campus into one facility.

The last district bond proposition approved by voters was in May 2007. The $123 million bond paid for renovations at the elementary schools, construction of two new middle schools, work at the high school and stadium renovations.