By Mark Buckshon
Ontario Building Information employees author
The Metropolis of Ottawa’s choice to sole-source the design and building of a brand new “sprung structure” for the Newcomer Reception Centre has sparked outrage amongst native building teams.
The Ottawa Building Affiliation (OCA) and the Normal Contractors Affiliation of Ottawa (GCAO) have despatched a letter to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe expressing their “dismay” over the town’s plan to award the $15-million contract to BLT Building Providers (BLTCS), a Toronto-based contractor.
The associations argue that the town’s choice is unfair to native companies and that the two-week response interval for the Superior Contract Award Discover (ACAN) is insufficient for bidders to assemble critical proposals.
“The reality is that local bidders understand that internally, city staff have already declared their chosen path with a sprung structure by BLTCS,” the letter stated.
The OCA and GCAO are calling on the town to cancel the ACAN and put out a request for proposals (RFP) to the native building business.
“The only reasonable remedy to this unfortunate situation is for the city to reboot the procurement process entirely,” the letter stated.
The associations additionally expressed concern concerning the metropolis’s reliance on a market evaluation that concluded that no native contractors are able to designing and supplying a pre-engineered construction on a condensed timeline.
“It’s profoundly insulting to the abilities of the local industry that the city has relied on a consultant’s market assessment that concludes that there are no local contractors capable of designing and building the proposed sprung structure,” the letter stated.
The OCA and GCAO have requested that the market evaluation be launched instantly within the pursuits of transparency.
Metropolis defends choice
The Metropolis of Ottawa has defended its choice to short-circuit the contract, saying it wants to maneuver shortly to take care of a homelessness emergency.
“This isn’t sole-sourcing,” stated Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, who chairs council’s planning and housing committee. “It is a very short procurement. But again, when we’re addressing emergencies, the city needs to be nimble,” he stated in an interview broadcast by CBC-TV.
Leiper stated that firms acquainted with Sprung buildings ought to be capable of write up a proposal throughout the two-week window, which he known as “not an insignificant amount of time.”
Native contractors insist they’ll do the job
Native contractors insist they’re greater than able to delivering what the town is asking for.
“We basically feel like we’ve been bypassed,” stated Michael Assal, president of Taplen Industrial Building, a neighborhood agency that has put up three Sprung buildings for the Division of Nationwide Defence.
Assal stated that whereas the DND Sprung buildings have been for materials storage and workspaces, Ottawa has certified corporations that may meet the town’s necessities.
“It’s not rocket science,” he stated. “It just takes some attention to detail,” he stated in a CBC-TV interview.
Considerations about transparency
John DeVries, president and common supervisor of the Ottawa Building Affiliation, stated the response within the native business has been unfavorable, with some corporations feeling “insulted.”
DeVries expects that few firms will undergo the difficulty of submitting proposals now, when it appears the town has already made up its thoughts.
“People who are looking at it are feeling, to be blunt, the fix is in,” he stated.
DeVries has known as on the town to press reset on the method and launch a completely open competitors with a request for expressions of curiosity.
He stated that might give the town extra choices and “the full benefits of competition.”
The Metropolis of Ottawa has set a one-year timeline for its newcomer reception centre.
DeVries stated he believes an Ottawa contractor might design and construct a Sprung construction earlier than subsequent winter, even after an additional few months for procurement.
The associations’ letter
