The Government Contracting Pipeline will not publish on Wednesday, Nov. 23, in observance of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and the Strategic Partnerships, Inc. offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24 and 25. We will resume our regular Wednesday publication dates on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Would end provision to withhold 3 percent of vendor payments for back taxes

Stephen Sandherr

It looks like the long-debated bill that would repeal a law that would penalize contractors who are behind on their taxes is one step closer to the President's desk. Last week, the U.S. Senate passed the bill sent over by the House repealing the bill that orders the withholding of 3 percent of government payment to vendors if the vendor owes back taxes.

The House previously passed the bill, but there was concern for its fate in the Senate after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would try to amend the repeal legislation so that the repeal would stay in effect for tax evaders. But, the Senate passed the bill without Reid tacking on an amendment. They did, however, amend the repeal with provisions to encourage employers to hire unemployed veterans and to require a study of federal contractors' tax compliance.

Associated General Contractors CEO Stephen E. Sandherr said the unanimous approval in the Senate showed the senators understood that repealing the 3 percent withholding measure "is essential to boosting economic growth." He said that with construction activity down and that industry's unemployment rate up, "The last thing construction employers need is to be forced into giving interest-free loans to the federal government." He said that is why the Senate vote was welcomed by the construction industry, workers and taxpayers. "Many firms will be better able to offer positions to the veterans this legislation also supports without the enormous cost of this measure looming."

Government contractors have long said that failure to repeal the 3 percent withholding would have hurt their cash flow and slowed hiring.

Because the Senate added new provisions to the bill, it now goes back to the House for final approval and will then head to the President's desk. The original bill, which was to be implemented in 2013, was seen as a way to reduce tax cheating by contractors.

Pennsylvania community college seeking to expand its campus

The Community College of Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) is undergoing a feasibility study regarding the expansion of its campus in the North Hills. The $65,000 study is necessary, college officials say, because of the growing student numbers that are at or above record levels. One of the major problems the campus is experiencing as a result of the growth is lack of adequate parking. The Board of Trustees expects the feasibility study to address parking issues and the need for more classroom space and office space, which likely will lead to the recommendation of relocation. The feasibility study will use up $30,000 of the $65,000 in approved funds. The remainder will be used for subcontractors. Officials have mentioned the Regional Industrial Development Corp.'s technology park in Marshall as a possible alternative site.

North Carolina school board to make changes in bond money spending

Erv Portman

The Wake school board in North Carolina has been granted permission by the Wake County commissioners regarding changes in how it plans to spend some of the district's 2006 bond funding. Some of the funds had been previously earmarked for school construction projects. Some $30 million was to be directed to land purchases, design work, moving classroom trailers and upgrading aging equipment. Now the school will be able to set new priorities, which officials hope to do to build three new schools and use the remainder of the funds for other construction projects. The new uses of the funding are expected to include conversion of the Hilburn Elementary to a K-8 school, renovations at the Cary High School and new single-gender academies proposed for the William Peace University campus. Another $60 million would be used for design and construction of a new high school in Apex. Commissioner Erv Portman asked if the changes would allow the system to stay ahead of the anticipated student growth. "Have we done what we need to do to be ready three or four years out?" he asked. School officials said the district can get by with these changes, but would probably need a bond issue by 2014.

Massachusetts community says yes to referendum on middle/high school

Voters in Duxbury, Massachusetts, recently approved a referendum that will lead to a new co-located middle/high school. The $128 million project is part of the Mass School Building Authority's model school program. School officials now will face picking a construction manger, probably in January. They are hopeful the school can be open in September 2014.

Robert Avossa

Schools in the cities of Atlanta, Buford and Decatur and Cherokee, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry counties in Georgia will reap benefits from $3.2 billion in education funding recently approved by voters. The funds will be distributed over five years thanks to an extension of a one-cent sales tax. The districts affected and the amount they will receive include: Fulton County, $912 million; Gwinnett County, $859 million; Atlanta, $513 million; DeKalb County, $475 million; Henry County, $225 million; Cherokee County, $138 million; Douglas County, $122 million; Decatur, $18 million; and Buford, $17.1 million. SPL Fulton Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa said the $912 million in funding for his schools will be used to improve access to technology for students and renovate schools. "I think it sends a clear message that education is a top priority for the region and that people understand the integral connection between high quality schools and economic development," he said. DeKalb plans school construction with its funds, including replacing seven elementary schools. Two new schools are planned in Buckhead and a new middle school in Midtown in the Atlanta Public Schools. The 15-year-old tax has allowed for the construction of dozens of schools and a variety of infrastructure upgrades.

 

Baltimore mayor to seek increase in tax to boost funding for schools

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she will attempt to increase the city's bottle tax from 2 to 5 cents, with proceeds from the additional funding to be used for school construction and repairs. Revenue from the tax increase would be added to other revenue to create a funding stream the Baltimore school system would use to float $324 million in bonds for renovations and to replace aging buildings. Officials say a 5-cent tax increase would generate up to $11 million per year and would be combined with money from a planned slots casino in Baltimore. The mayor said she would also ask the state legislature to increase the cap on the school system's ability to sell bonds.

 

Middle school in Colorado in line for major remodeling project

New proposed Erie Middle School

The Erie (Colorado) Middle School will soon see the start of a major remodeling program. Of the school's 115,000 square feet, 50,000 square feet will be renovated. Another 25,000 square feet will be demolished and replaced. A budget of $13.3 million is expected for the remodeling project, out of a 2008 bond issue. Once completed, the school (as seen in accompanying artist's rendition) will have a 1,000 student capacity, nearly twice the current capacity. New classrooms will be added to the northwest and east sides of the school, bringing the total from the current 20 to a new total of 26. Included in the remodeling project is the upgrade to science labs. Another project, construction of the new Frederick High School, is expected to be completed on Dec. 1.

 

California court administrators recommend building new courthouse

California court administrators are recommending the building of a new Stanislaus County Courthouse. They also call for construction of a $69.2 million courthouse in Sonora and construction of a new $32.2 million facility in Los Banos. Two downtown Modesto sites are being considered for the Stanislaus facility. While the courthouses may be built, they are not likely to be as fancy as planned. Appellate Court Justice Brad Hill, who is on the working group that is trying to get the courthouses built, but as reasonably priced as possible, said, "We need to close a significant budget gap in the courthouse construction program for this fiscal year as well as set future direction for the program in light of unprecedented fiscal challenges." The working group was appointed to move courthouse projects along, after more than $1.1 billion in courthouse funding has been spent on other state needs since 2009.

West Virginia government buildings to benefit from energy projects

More than $40 million in federal stimulus funds will be invested in projects to improve energy efficiency in West Virginia state and local government buildings. Among the projects will be replacing heating and cooling systems in two state park lodges and installing a solar power system at the Department of Environmental Protection's headquarters. State agencies will see an investment of $32.7 million in energy efficiency projects. Another $9 million is headed to similar projects at the county and city government levels.

Want to know who your competition is? Who was awarded the contract on a particular project? Below are listed some recent winners of major government contracts: 

• Gaver Technologies won a $5.6 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for education and training services.
• Harris Corp. will provide military communications and field assistance to U.S. Southern Command partner nations under a four-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a potential total value of $38 million for radios, accessories, communication systems and services to the unnamed SOUTHCOM partner.
• National Place Lease Co. won a $57 million contract from the General Services Administration for lease or rental of facilities. 
• Sterling Structures, Inc. was awarded a $6.43 million contract by the Aransas County Independent School District for revisions to the Fulton Learning Center and $15.9 million for the new Live Oak Learning Center.
• Segovia won a $742.7 million contract from the Army for information technology services, including telecommunications services.
• Kaplan-Schmidt Electric Inc. of Rochester was awarded a contract for $61,000 by New York State to provide a fuel dispensing system for the Rochester Army Aviation Support Facility.
• Mimar Architects, Inc. was awarded a maximum $10 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite- delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for civil/structural/ architectural/ mechanical/ electrical/fire protection services in support of projects at military installations throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic area of responsibility.
• Apollo Video Technology was awarded a purchasing contract by the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Transportation for an onboard video surveillance system for its buses.
• Shelly and Loy has been awarded a contract by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to provide remediation services throughout the state.
• Parsons Brinckerhoff has been hired by Portland, Oregon's, Trimet public transportation system to expand its light rail operations and maintenance facility in Gresham, Oregon.
• Intrado has contracted with the city of Durham, North Carolina, to launch a Next Generation 911 system.
• ACS, a Xerox Company, has had its contract renewed with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to manage and operate a call center for the state's Long Term Care Access Service.

People

Marie Head (top left), former president of Prudential Huntoon Paige, the FHA lending business of the Prudential Mortgage Capital Company, has been tagged by President Barack Obama and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary in HUD's the office of Multifamily Housing Programs. William "Bill" Mattiace (top center), former mayor of Las Cruces and deputy director of the New Mexico Border Authority since July, has been named executive director of the authority, replacing Jim Creek, who retired earlier this month. Jim Mann (top right), former CIO and CTO at several private sector firms, was recently named by Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as the state's new chief IT officer, but one day later Mann resigned after controversy arose over his reported college degree from a university not accredited by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation in the United States. Tim Rabon, who with his brothers Randy and Jeff have for the last 20 years been part of the Mesa Verde, Inc. dirt work and paving business, has been appointed to the New Mexico State Workforce Development Board. Hugo (Minnesota) City Administrator Mike Ericson has announced he will be stepping down from his post on Nov. 21 and Community Development Director Bryan Bear will take over while continuing his current duties. The Alamogordo (New Mexico) Public Library is losing Steve Haydu, its computer systems administrator for the last 12 years, who is leaving to become director of the Ahrens Memorial Library at Holloman Air Force Base. Peter Givler (middle right), executive director of the Association of American University Presses and former director of the Ohio State University Press for 10 years, has announced that he plans to retire in June 2013. Longtime Edmond, Oklahoma, City Councilman Charles Lamb (middle center) has been sworn in as interim mayor, finishing the term of former Mayor Patrice Douglas, who resigned in August after being appointed to the state Corporation Commission by Gov. Mary Fallin. Katherine Thomas (middle right), MN, RN, executive director of the Texas Board of Nursing, was recently designated as Fellow to the American Academy of Nursing. Socorro (Texas) city commissioners recently appointed Municipal Judge Alex Vidales as interim city manager, replacing Manny Soto, who resigned last month. Jane Howington, city manager for Kalispell, Montana, has announced she will resign in December to take a similar job in Newport, Rhode Island, after serving as city manager since 2009. Bella Wong, superintendent of Wellesley, Massachusetts, has announced she will resign, effective at the end of the current school year. City Manager Tom Wood (bottom left), who has been in the top job in Anaheim, California, for the last two and a half years, has announced his resignation, effective Dec. 8, closing out a 30-year city government career in the city. Kevin West (bottom center), a former teacher and elementary school principal in Irvington, has been named Roselle's (New Jersey) new superintendent of schools, replacing outgoing interim Superintendent Joe Martino, who is retiring. Peoria Deputy Fire Chief Larry Rooney, who has been with the Peoria Fire Department since 1984, is moving to California to become the new fire chief in Lodi, effective in January. Tommy Bice, who has been serving as deputy superintendent of Alabama schools in charge of curriculum and instruction, has been chosen as Alabama's new school superintendent, replacing Joe Morton, who retired in August. In Moline, Illinois, Police Chief Kim Hankins is now the city's Interim Public Safety Director, assuming the administrative duties of fire chief and continuing to serve as police chief. Mike Cochran, assistant chief at the Lauderhill (Florida) Police Department, will return to the city where he started his career more than 20 years ago, to become police chief in Hanahan, replacing Chief Donald Wilcox, who retired last summer.