5/16/2014
The Public Building Commission has released its 1st Quarter 2014 performance results that showed the PBC’s multi-year program authority for projects completed and in development exceeds $2.7 billion and that .projects are trending under budget by 7.51%, representing a variance of $204 million under the current budgets.
“We are pleased with the first quarter results, which show that PBC remains committed to being good stewards of the public fund and exemplary project management controls that allow us to deliver these important public projects on time and on budget,” said Erin Lavin Cabonargi, Executive Director of the Public Building Commission.
Quarterly report results for Q1 2014 also showed the PBC’s commitment to economic sustainability remained strong, and included provisions for Minority and Women Owned Business (M/WBE) participation and workforce (Equal Employment Opportunity) goals in PBC contracts. The report was issued at the PBC Board of Commissioners monthly meeting on May 13, 2014.
In Q1 2014, one construction project was completed, the Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School addition. Total M/WBE participation achieved to date on general construction and professional service contracts exceeds PBC goals and was 41.77%. MBE participation represented 37.01% or $2.40 million while WBE participation represented 4.76 % or $308,639.
The PBC Board also approved a contract for the Turf Field at National Teachers Academy. Kee Construction, a Chicago-based WBE firm was the low bidder for a contract amount not to exceed $3,149,570. The new turf field at 2300 S. Dearborn St., in the Near South Side community, will provide an artificial turf field and running track with associated landscaping and site improvements on an approximately 3.8 acre parcel of land to be used for athletic activities for area schools and the surrounding community.
The board also approved an undertaking request from the Chicago Board of Education for the planning, design and construction of the Southwest Area Elementary School, located at 60th Street and Karlov Avenue in the West Lawn community.
In other board action, at the direction of PBC Chairman Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the board approved changes to the PBC Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) program and the way it counts supplier participation and utilization goals, in order to align them with City and Federal standards. Going forward, 60% of expenditures for materials and supplies purchased from a MBE or WBE that is certified as a regular dealer or supplier shall be counted toward MBE or WBE goals by the PBC. This lowers the percentage from 100% to allow for greater participation of minority and women-owned firms and will require prime contractors to identify more opportunities for M/WBE firms.
