BEAR Release
A meeting for sub-contractors to learn about joining in on the construction of the new Seventh District Courthouse that will be built in Price took place last week and the local interest was strong. So strong in fact that the Alumni Room at the Jennifer Leavitt Student Center on the USU-Eastern campus was packed with potential applicants.
The presentation was sponsored by Castle Country Business Expansion and Retention as well as the Custom Fit program.
Steve Hillam of Okland Construction, the general contractor on the building, presented all the things that a company would have to do to qualify to bid on the projects many facets.
Hillam showed off some of the projects Okland has worked on in the past and then went into the details about the new building that will replace the now razed Carbon County Courthouse. The building will be a 23,000 square foot facility, and the construction will begin in the middle of October.
Hillam told the group that his company was very much interested in working with local contractors, whether they be union or non-union.
He then went into some of the specifics that contractors must do to be eligible to bid on the project with Okland.
- He proposed that interested parties immediately pre-qualify and do it as soon as possible with Okland. He said it takes about an hour to complete an application with the company and that the paperwork must be done before the first week of October. The design for the building will be done around the end of September. For those that wish to fill out a qualifying application, they can contact Patty Midgley at Patty.midgley@okland.com
- Qualifications include that a company must have a safety manual, must be insured and must have a substance abuse plan in place. Insurance means liability, workers comp, vehicle insurance and other types as needed. Employees who work on the project must pass a drug test and have negative results reported to Okland before they can be oriented. This must be done within 30 days before that date.
- OSHA training for the particular businesses must also be complete. That training can be arranged through the Custom Fit program, with the program paying some of the cost. Validation of training must take place before the 45 minute orientation for workers on the project.
- Okland expects certain things out of its sub-contractors. They should have the following:
-Must have a supervisor on site during the work process and that supervisor should be English proficient.
-The project supervisor must conduct weekly documented safety inspections.
-Meetings that must be attended include a pre-construction meeting, weekly subcontractor coordination meetings, weekly toolbox safety meetings and daily individual crew pre-task meetings.
-All injuries and incidents must be reported to Okland and the sub-contractors supervisior must actively investigate all incidents.
-Subcontractors must comply with 100% of the rules on hard hats, safety glasses, orange vest/pants and work boots. Work devices and procedures will be spelled out and the sub-contractor cannot alter any of them without conferring with Okland first. All permits that apply must be adhered too.
-Plans for liability, staging of operations and environmental concerns must be put forth by the sub-contractor.
Hillam also pointed out that there are some traits that sub-contractors who work for the company must have including distinctness, a certain amount of WOW factor in their operations (something that is impressive), be trustworthy, successful, give value for the compensation provided and create a team or shared success attitude about their work and the project.