Money will be used to build, expand, improve new and existing facilities nationwide

Kathleen Sebelius

Nearly 400 renovation and construction projects across the country will share more than $728 million in federal funding allocated for capital programs for community health centers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, recently announced the funding allocations.

"For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country."

Another $629 million in funds is being allocated to 171 existing health centers nationwide for longer-term projects that will allow for expanding facilities, improving existing services and serving more patients. Those funds will provide approximately $99.3 million to 227 current health centers to address urgent facility and equipment needs.

Included in the Building Capacity Funds awarded are grants from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for a variety of centers. To view the complete list of by state of recipients and the amount of their awards, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

Funding from the Immediate Facility Improvement Program ranged from $32,000 to $500,000. To view the complete list by state of recipients and funding amounts from that program, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

Connecticut agencies to be allowed to negotiate labor agreements

Edith Prague

Legislation allowing Connecticut government agencies to negotiate labor agreements on construction projects is headed to the governor for his signature. The bill allows the state transportation commissioner more flexibility in how construction projects are allocated. Proponents say the legislation will make the state more competitive as it applies for federal funding.

Under the legislation, government officials will be allowed to negotiate labor agreements on projects with the agreements establishing a process for dispute resolution among contractors and unions.

Sen. Edith Prague, co-chair of the legislature's Labor and Public Employees Committee, said the issue is optional for cities and towns, but that they ensure more skilled workers are available, ensure fewer delays and ensure hiring of more minority- and women-owned businesses have a place at the table. She also said the agreements have a "no-strike, no lock-out" provision for contractors and unions as well as a dispute resolution process. Builders groups, on the other hand, call these types of contract anti-competition. 

Seattle school officials could seek huge bond election next year

In Seattle, 2013 could be the years of the $1 billion-plus bond issue. Although a complete list of projects has not been completed, officials are looking at the possibility of a $700 million package of school reopenings, reconstruction and upgrades. That levy will be on a February 2013 ballot along with a $500 million operations levy. The more than $1 billion bond issue would be the largest in the city's history. The construction portion of the bond issue would be used to address overcrowding and do away with some of the portable buildings on campuses. Some of the schools that were previously shuttered would also be reopened. Nine of the 12 closed in 2006 and 2009 and that have been reopened would be reopened permanently.

California school district to purchase iPads for students

Darryl La Gace

The San Diego Unified School District will purchase enough iPads to put one in the hands of students in 340 classrooms. This comes on the heels of purchasing more than 75,600 netbooks for its students. The district will purchase approximately 25,700 iPad 2s for its fifth- and eighth-grade classes and some high school classes by next fall. It represents one of the largest rollouts of iPads in K-12 schools in the nation at a cost of more than $15 million. Darryl LaGace, Unified's chief information and technology officer, said the school has spent more than $35 million on netbooks as part of the district's technology initiative being funded by proceeds from a 2008 bond vote. Teachers were asked and most preferred the use of the iPad in their classrooms. The distribution of the iPads will be based on need. This phase of the project is expected to last through July, with Phase Two of the rollout to begin in September.

 

Cincinnati schools to borrow money for school energy renovations

The Cincinnati Public Schools board has approved seeking a $26.8 million loan to facilitate energy-saving renovations at 28 of its schools. About $5.5 million of the low-interest loan wold be used to renovate the old Hyde Park school. The William H. Taft Elementary in Mount Auburn also would get $5.1 million and the Gambele Montessori would be allocated $6.9 million. Among the changes that would be brought about by the energy savings effort would be replacement of non-energy efficient light bulbs, centralization of thermostat controls and the installation of motion sensors that would turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied. Buildings without air conditioning would get air conditioning installed. Officials are hopeful that all of the changes would cut energy usage costs by as much as 25 percent in each building and that the projects would eventually pay for themselves. 

 

Indiana University to convert conference center for other uses

Charles Bantz

After facing financial losses in recent years due to the declining economy, officials at the University of Indiana are preparing to transform the University Place Conference Center and Hotel into a multi-use facility that will provide student housing, dining facilities and classroom space. The transformation is expected to begin in December so that classroom space will be available in January and residential housing by fall of next year. Although the center helped spark a downtown revival, other hotel complexes invested heavily in their facilities while the UI facility did not and has accumulated $1.8 million in debt in recent years. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Chancellor Charles R. Bantz said the new uses for the facility "will better support critical campus needs and our goals of quality learning environments, student retention and graduation." The newly transformed facility will open up 560 student residential spaces, the first student dining hall on campus that seats 470 and 30,000 square feet of classroom space.

 

Legislation, still seeking federal partner, would go into effect July 1

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has signed legislation that bans Florida from signing contracts of $1 million or more with companies that do business in Cuba or Syria, while admitting the state may not have the authority to implement the law. Miami-Dade County Attorney Robert Cuevas has told government officials that the federal government has ultimate control over foreign policy, not state or local governments.

Scott said the legislation is designed to "protect Florida taxpayers from unintentionally supporting dictators that suppress freedom and the rights of individuals." The legislation is set to become effective on July 1, but Scott is still looking for a "federal partner."

New truck weigh stations to be built in areas across Oklahoma

The Oklahoma state legislature has approved a bill that would provide for the construction of new Port of Entry truck weight and inspection stations statewide. A weigh station improvement fund has been started, with some of the state's fuel tax revenue from the Higher Education Facilities Fund. A monthly infusion of $500,000 will be put into the fund until it reaches $51 million. The fund was created to replace weigh stations that officials say are aging and obsolete. A total of nine stations are being planned, with the first on I-35 in Kay County near the Kansas border.

NOAA seeks motivational speaker for training conference

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has advertised for a motivational speaker for a training conference it is planning with another Commerce Department division set for June 12-14. The event will be held in Maryland. The winner of the award for the engagement will be for a one-day session with 45 federal employees. The RFQ seeks a contractor who has "created a unique model of translating magic and principles of the psychology of magic, magic tools, techniques and experiences into a method of teaching leadership." The conference is a quarterly event and is sponsored by NOAA and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and is part of the Commerce Department's Leadership Effectiveness and Advancement Program.

University of Kansas Hospital to benefit from fundraising campaign

A $1.2 billion fundraising campaign would benefit the University of Kansas and the UK Hospital. The Kansas University Endowment campaign, under way for four years but celebrating its recent public launch, will end in 2016. Since the campaign began, $612 million has been committed. The campaign would help KU Hospital expand (as in accompanying artist's rendering) and improve its programs and care. Included in the goals for the fundraising are $175 million for facilities, including construction and renovation of facilities for learning and patient care. Since the campaign began, several projects have benefitted, including KU Cancer Center's seeking of designation from the National Cancer Institute and new cancer-care and radiation oncology pavilions at KU Hospital.

 

Florida county issues RFP for marketing, communications

A Florida county is seeking proposals through its Department of Economic Opportunity for a marketing program. Flagler County is seeking both a multi-year marketing strategy and a new Web site design. The winning proposal will be for strategic marketing and communications services for the county and expertise in full-service marketing and branding. The county is seeking to reverse a trend that has resulted in it having one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Proposals are due June 12 and questions will be taken until May 21.

 

Georgia city looking at expanding its wastewater treatment plant

Planning on using funds from a special purpose local option sales tax and a low-interest loan from Georgia's State Revolving Fund, the city of Moultrie is moving forward on plans for expanding its wastewater treatment plant. Plans call for the project to include adding a new oxidation ditch treatment system and settling basins. New operator facilities also would be added to the plant, which would be located on city property west of the existing plant. Bids for the plant are expected to be sought in February of next year with construction expected by early summer 2013. The expansion is intended to increase the amount of sewage the city's system can process and also produce cleaner effluent. 

  

Texas county officials still stalled on possible new courthouse

Sam Biscoe

The discussion on the possible use of a public-private partnership for the construction of a new county courthouse in Travis County, Texas, has been moved to a committee. The county commissioner's court recently met with a goal of furthering the discussion on the project, only to come away with a new committee appointed to take over the discussion of the P3 angle. County Judge Sam Biscoe called a meeting of the court in response to financial consultants advising the county should move sooner, rather than later, on the issue. Original plans were for 2 million square feet of construction, which could also include retail and office space to lease in addition to the new civil and family courthouse. The size of the complex is one of the issues the court would have to address. Costs have been estimated at anywhere from $268 million to $404 million, depending on the size. The facility could be financed with bonds or possibly a partnership from the private sector.

 

Fairbanks planning to install hundreds of LED streetlights

Approximately 800 new LED streetlight fixtures will be installed in the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, replacing current high-pressure sodium streetlights. The project, valued at $1 million and funded by the Federal Highway Administration, is expected to be completed this summer. An RFP is expected to be released in June or July. It will be the second installment of LED lights for Fairbanks, which with neighboring North Pole installed almost 2,000 LED lights in 2009. The RFP will seek performance specifications, not fixtures. The city will produce the design for the project and the plans and specifications.

 

Recreation center plan calls for closures, new construction

A plan by the city of Baltimore to make the city's recreation center network into a higher quality of centers to serve citizens includes closure of four centers along with the construction of $19 million in renovations and new facilities and expanded programming. Plans include more operating hours, new after-school programs and public-private partnerships. The city will eventually operate 31 improved centers and use partnerships to lease eight centers to privatization. Six of those centers will be released to the Baltimore City Public Schools. 

 

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County in New York exploring possible P3 for sewage system

In Nassau County, New York, officials are exploring the possibility of using a public-private partnership to operate and maintain its three wastewater treatment plants as part of a debt reduction and sewer stabilization plan. If successful, the plan could eliminate 25 percent, or $750 million, of the county's debt, estimated at $3 billion. The county's sewer authority could face bankruptcy in 2014, and the plan would also attempt to stave off that impending disaster. The county's wastewater treatment plants are badly in need of repair, to the point of being fined more than $1 million in Department of Environmental Conservation fines. The plan would put the responsibility for improvements on a private sector partner, who would also operate and maintain the sewage treatment system. A series of public hearings are being planned as the current step toward a possible P3 agreement.

California city prepares to use public-private partnership for energy savings

Rene Mendez

A number of public infrastructure improvements designed to save energy usage in Gonzalez, California, are a result of a public-private partnership. The goal is to reduce both the city's utility and maintenance costs. Among the improvements are upgrading all city-owned streetlights, installing two solar projects to produce 462kW of power and rehabilitating and upgrading the city's water pumping station with an end goal of conserving water and electricity. The upgraded pumps will allow the city to pump water at times when energy costs are lower. In addition to saving energy usage and thus saving money, the projects also are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a sustainable public utility model that can become a model for other communities. City Manager Rene Mendez said the projects are expected to result over their lifetime in a savings of $4.7 million. Those savings allow money to be spent on other projects that will help the city maintain and enhance public services. The partnership is with Constellation Wines US, Inc. in the city, where one of the two solar sites will be installed. The city also worked with Chevron Energy Solutions to develop, design and construct the project. The project was financed by a municipal lease arrangement through Rabobank N.A. through its affiliate De Lage Landen Financial Services. The financial arrangement includes public incentives that will allow the project to pay for itself over time.

 

Cuomo says he's considering P3 for replacing Tappan Zee Bridge

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not ruled out the possibility of a public-private partnership to pay for replacing the Tappan Zee Bridge. His comments came after federal officials turned down the state's application for a $2 billion loan for the project. The project would build two spans to replace an old and overcrowded bridge across the Hudson River in the northern suburbs of New York City. Cuomo said he is considering a P3 that could leverage private financing, but there are no plans on the table at this point.

 

Officials seeking private investments for high-speed rail project in Texas

Robert Eckels

The Texas Central Railway is looking for private investors to help fund what could be a $10 billion high-speed rail system to connect Houston and San Antonio with a train that would travel 200 miles per hour and make the trip in 90 minutes. "We are not looking for a government subsidy on this project," said Robert Eckels, head of he Texas Central Railway. "That's one of the key elements to make this project work and is distinguished from others in that we would be a privately operated system." At a recent transportation meeting, Eckels extolled the virtues of train travel as opposed to flying or driving - from convenience to comfort. He also said a ticket for a Houston to San Antonio trip would be about 70 percent of the cost for an airline ticket for the same trip. Eckels is continuing to seek investors. If enough commit to fund the high-speed rail operation, it could be functional by 2020.

  

Arizona hospitals partner with state to expand kids' health care coverage

Three major hospital systems in two of the largest metro areas in Arizona will partner with the state to expand health care coverage for low-income children. The public-private partnership is aimed at meeting the health care needs of more than 20,000 Arizona children. The result is the reopening of the KidsCare program. The partnership was a result of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services authorizing a new eligibility category for the program that serves children from low-income families. Under the terms of the partnership, the three major hospital systems will pay money into the plan. Their return on their investment will come when they get back more than they invested from federal matching funds for uncompensated care, or that which is not covered by insurance.

 

P3 proposal being considered to help develop offshore wind project

Three utilities in the New York City area have proposed a public-private partnership to develop an offshore wind project on the outer continental shelf off Long Island. Dubbed the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project, plans are for it to be located in federal waters south of Long Island. The public part of the P3 includes the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority and an investor-owned utility, Consolidated Edison of New York. The proposed project would include 81,500 acres of sea space and would start out with a 350MW capacity that could expand to 700 MW. It will include up to 194 turbines. If approved and a requested lease is awarded, the partners would then seek proposals from private development firms to build the project, turn the lease over to the bid winner and then sign an agreement to purchase the power generated by the project. It could become one of the first public-private partnerships to develop offshore wind in United States waters.

 

Illinois

• The Chester-East Lincoln Consolidated Community School District #61 is soliciting Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) to provide performance contractor services for the overall appraisal of its facility, long-term plan for upgrades, recommended timeline for upgrades and possible funding options.
• Tri-Valley CUSD #3 in Downs is requesting qualified providers to propose innovative solutions and energy conservation measures through a guaranteed savings contract on a performance contracting basis. These proposals may include, but are not limited to, implementation of energy equipment; repair, modernization, maintenance services at various locations on a performance contracting basis as defined by the State of Illinois. 

Wisconsin

• The Wisconsin Division of State Facilities is seeking bids for replacement of the La Crosse State Office Building's existing conventional fire alarm system with a new intelligent fire alarm system that will provide complete building coverage and is capable of providing emergency communication.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking bids for the resurfacing of 12 existing tennis courts and application of regulation court playing lines located within the existing Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the University of Wisconsin - Madison campus.
• The Wisconsin Division of State Facilities is seeking bids for the third floor accessible toilet renovation at the Great Lakes Research Facility of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  

Colorado

• The University of Colorado is seeking proposals for a storage solution for long-term storage for the Peta Library.
• The State of Colorado Department of Public Safety is seeking bids for a variety of food items to support the Colorado State Patrol Training Academy in Golden.
• The State of Colorado Department of Corrections is seeking bids for electronic home monitoring and GPS tracking services.

Ohio

• The Ohio Department of Administrative Services is seeking proposals for public relations and a creative, results-driven, forward thinking agency partner to take its public relations/media relations efforts to new heights for the 2013/2014 biennium.
• The Ohio Department of Administrative Services is seeking proposals for a renewable energy and energy efficiency job impact study. A qualified research organization is being sought to conduct a direct job impact study to measure the direct employment impact of the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in Ohio.

Pennsylvania

• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is seeking qualified vendors to provide commissary products.
• The Pennsylvania Department of Education is interested in procuring access to and services associated with databases through a statewide license for unlimited access by the participating libraries, library users and the citizens of and visitors to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The department is seeking online products that provide the broadest array of predominantly full-text general, K-8 and consumer information, including multimedia files, that the budget will allow.

Andrew P. McMahon (top left), professor of science at Harvard University and principal faculty member at Harvard Stem Cell Institute, has been named director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine and department chair of the department of stem-cell biology and regenerative medicine. Southern Methodist University engineering dean Geoffrey Orsak (top middle) has been chosen as the next president of the University of Tulsa, replacing Steadman Uphan, who is retiring. Brian T. Woods (top right) has been chosen as the lone finalist for superintendent of the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, to replace former Superintendent John Folks, who is retiring. Glenda Scott, curriculum director of the Tupelo, Mississippi, School District, has announced that she will retire at the end of June, after also spending a number of years as a principal in the school district. Eureka, California, City Manager David Tyson, who has worked for the city for 23 years as a member of the finance department and then city manager, has announced he will retire when his contract ends on Dec. 31. Bart Patterson, who has served as interim president of the Nevada State College since November when acting President Lesle Di Mare left for another job, has been named president on a permanent basis. Michael F. Adams (middle right), who has been president of the University of Georgia since 1997, has announced that he will retire next year, with his last day slated to be June 30, 2013. Shanon Materio (middle center), who has served as a board member of the South End Neighborhood Association, was appointed District 5 commissioner in West Palm Beach, California. Dr. Kathryn Eggleston (middle left), who has been serving as interim president of Richland College in the Dallas County Community College District since January 2010, has been appointed as the college's new president, succeeding Dr. Stephen Mittelstet, who retired. Kevin Flanagan, city manager in Denison, Iowa, will be the new city administrator for the city of Fairfield, replacing previous administrator Jeff Clawson, who retired. Ray Driskell, a 27-year fire veteran who has served as fire marshal, assistant chief, district chief, chief of finance and deputy chief, has been named fire chief for the city of Tulsa, replacing retiring Chief Allen LaCroix. Dominic Rizzi, Jr., who has spent more than 25 years with the city of Yakima, Washington, Police Department, has been named chief after beginning his career in 1987 as a patrolman and since August having served as acting watch commander for the 9th Police District. Mississippi Superintendent of Education Tom Burnham (bottom left) has announced his retirement, after having served as an educator for 43 years, including a stint as higher education commissioner. Officials in Ocean City, Florida, have named Fort Pierce City Manager David Recor (bottom center) as their new city manager. Sandra Jordan (bottom right), provost at Georgia College and State University, has been chosen as chancellor of the University of Southern California-Aiken, succeeding Thomas Hallman, who is retiring. Donald (Pete) Rose, current county administrator of San Juan County, Washington, has been picked as the new city administrator for Lake Forest Park, effective June 11. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Philip Oldham, who serves as provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, will be the next president of Tennessee Technological University, replacing Bob Bell, who will retire on July 1. Seaside, Oregon, Fire Capt. Joey Daniels will become the new chief of the Seaside Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department beginning in July, replacing Chief Dale Kamrath, who will retire in June.