To date, more than $100-million in contracts have been awarded to Small, Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business
McCarthy HITT will host a virtual outreach event for small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses that are interested in submitting bids for work on Next NGA West. Since onsite work began in February, more than $100 million in construction contracts have been awarded to small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
The virtual opportunity fair, which is for companies only, will be held 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., Thursday, August 27, 2020. Advance registration is required no later than 12 p.m., Wednesday, August 26 to receive the electronic link details. Reservations can be made at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nga-update-3rd-qtr-2020-small-mbe-wbe-contracting-registration-115771221841
The opportunity fair is focused on informing small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses about upcoming subcontracting opportunities that will be advertised in the fall. Nearly $100 million in additional construction contracts remain to be awarded over the course of the project, including the following:
- Core and Shell (main operations building and central utility plant): roofing, metal panels and sheet metal, fireproofing, reinforcing steel for elevated decks, specialty metals for trellis and monumental stair
- Interiors (main operations building and central utility plant): general works, paint, interior glass, flooring, window treatments, signage, security equipment, masonry
- Visitor Center: concrete, general works, roofing, curtainwall/windows, paint, flooring, HVAC, electrical, metal panels & sheet metal, window treatments, signage, security equipment
- Site Improvements: fencing, topsoil and seeding, grass pavers
“On behalf of the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) and the city of St. Louis, we are excited about working with McCarthy HITT and believe that Next NGA West will be a very successful endeavor,” said Vladimir A. Monroe, director, Minority Business Development & Compliance, St. Louis Development Corporation. “SLDC is very pleased with McCarthy HITT’s commitment to diversity and inclusion with small, minority and women-owned businesses, which is consistent with the Mayor’s Executive Order, #28, as amended, within these efforts the goals set forth by that order are 25% of the business spend would go to minority businesses and 5% would go to women owned businesses.”
The program on August 27 will include an update on the design and construction schedule followed by information on how companies can qualify for contracting opportunities from a variety of presenters familiar with opportunities for small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
Company business owners or their representatives will receive information about specific construction bidding opportunities and requirements, as well as details about building services for concrete, building enclosure, electrical, mechanical and interior finishes.
McCarthy HITT Project Goals Reflect Community Commitment
McCarthy HITT’s Project Specific Inclusion Plan (PSIP) establishes specific maximum achievable opportunities for qualified minority and female participation on all aspects of construction and is designed to meet and/or exceed the Department of Labor goals. PSIP goals are 25% minority-owned and 5% woman-owned for business enterprise participation, and 14.7% minority and 6.9% female for individual workforce participation.
“Small and diverse businesses are vital to completing the Next NGA West project and we’re strongly committed to helping these businesses succeed and grow through their involvement in this project,” said Jeff Boyer, project executive for McCarthy HITT, who added that this is the ninth outreach event hosted for the project.
“Outreach events for Next NGA West have produced tangible results and helped us to expand our channels of communication, especially within the St. Louis Place, Jeff-Vander-Lou and Old North St. Louis neighborhoods, which is critical to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce for this multi-year project,” added Boyer.
In addition to hosting events, the McCarthy HITT team has also attended and presented at more than 30 events directly related to expanding access for small, MBE and WBE firms, devoting significant resources and time to share information and network.
Contracts to small, minority-owned and women-owned business range from electrical and mechanical to specialty companies. An example of how well the process works is provided by Lou Brock, Jr., president of Lou Brock Mechanical. “I’ve been tracking this project since it was announced and have found McCarthy HITT to be very accessible to me as a small business owner,” said Brock. “Although I was already prequalified by McCarthy, their outreach events were instrumental in helping me work through the bid process and ultimately enabled me to submit a successful bid on Next NGA West. We’re looking forward to continued growth of our business as well as the opportunity to work on this one-of-a-kind project in our city.”
The 97-acre project site for Next NGA West is located in the historic St. Louis Place neighborhood at the intersection of Jefferson and Cass avenues. When complete in 2025, the campus will include a 700,000-square-foot office building, two parking garages, a visitor center, a delivery inspection facility and secure entrance/exit points.
About the McCarthy HITT team
Led by St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the McCarthy HITT team is responsible for supporting the mission critical needs of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. McCarthy HITT is a joint venture of the nation’s most capable design-build/operations and maintenance firms. The team includes HITT Contracting, Falls Church, Va.; Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kan.; Gensler, Washington, DC; and Akima, LLC, Herndon, Va. The Black & Veatch + Gensler Joint Venture serves as the Architect-Engineer of Record for the project.
About Lou Brock Mechanical
Lou Brock Mechanical, located in St. Louis, was founded by Lou Brock, Jr. in 2013. The company is MBE/DBE and Section 3 certified with various capabilities including pipefitting and installation, design-build services, HVAC contracting and more.
