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DOI awards grant for training of local A&E firms
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Posted on Jul 25 2004
Noting that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not been contracting local architectural and engineering firms for capital improvement projects in the CNMI, the Babauta administration disclosed obtaining a U.S. Interior Department grant to help local companies obtain CIP contracts.
Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs recently awarded the CNMI a $15,000 technical assistance grant for the conduct of a workshop that would assist local A&E firms meet the Army Corps’ requirements for CIP contracts.
“It came to the attention of the administration that the [Corps] was hiring A&E firms mainly from the State of Hawaii to perform work on CNMI CIP projects, instead of utilizing our local companies,” a media release from the Governor’s Office said.
“The [Corps] is unable to procure the services of our local A&E firms because our local firms neither have IDIQ [Architect and Engineer Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity] contracts with the ACOE, nor are they registered with the Small Business Administration 8(a) program,” it added.
The Governor’s Office has scheduled a workshop for local A&E firms at Susupe’s Multi-Purpose Center on Aug. 5 from 8am to 12pm. The workshop will focus on document preparation for IDIQ contracts and registration for SBA’s 8(a) program.
Chuck Jordan, Gov. Juan N. Babauta’s special adviser for CIP management, said the workshop would be conducted by an A&E contract specialist from the Corps and an SBA 8(a) program specialist.
“Over the past few years, the number of capital improvement projects in the CNMI has drastically increased. In order to expeditiously manage our numerous CIP projects, it has been necessary to transfer administration of some large projects to the [Corps],” Jordan said.
He said that, while the practice has been effective in utilizing the CNMI’s CIP funds, local A&E firms are left out in the selection of contractors.
Jordan encouraged local A&E firms to attend the workshop, which would be open to anyone. He said A&E firms do not need to be pre-qualified for IDIQ for them to attend the workshop. For additional information, Jordan can be reached at 664-2219. (John Ravelo)
