ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: July 02, 1997
                                           Dept. File No. A867-50.1
                                           CC File: 3603/1805


   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     Manager, Facilities Development, Corporate Services Group

   SUBJECT:  Emergency Operations and Communications Centre / Wide Area
             Radio Project - Award of Building Contract


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT the contract for the EOCC building be awarded to Swagger
        Construction Ltd. at a contract price of $10,200,000 plus GST;
        source of funding to be the City's authorized funding, Provincial
        Emergency Program, Regional Emergency Coordination Centre, Wide
        Area Radio participants, BC Ambulance Service, the RCMP, and 9-1-1
        funding sources, and with interim financing for the non-City share
        from the Property Endowment Fund.

   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

        The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of
        the foregoing.

   COUNCIL POLICY

       Contracts over $300,000 are to be awarded by Council.
       Contracts are to be awarded on the basis of best value.

   PURPOSE

   This report is submitted to Council to recommend that the contract for
   the EOCC building be awarded to the low bidder, Swagger Construction
   Ltd.

   BACKGROUND

   In July 1995, Council authorized the design of the EOCC at a cost of
   $14.0 million, source of funding to be $6.66 million from the
   Infrastructure Program and the remaining by the City.

   In February 1996, Council authorized the purchase of three
   privately-owned lots adjacent to the EOCC site for a total of $850,000
   so that the site could be consolidated into a single site for a
   consolidated emergency centre.

   On July 13, 1996, Council approved proceeding with the replacement of
   the City's radio systems for Police, Fire and Engineering at an
   annualized cost of approximately $3.75 million, equivalent to an
   investment of $22.5 million. Council also approved an additional $1.0
   million for the EOCC building for a total of $15.0 million for a joint
   EOC and Consolidated 9-1-1 Call Taking and Dispatch Centre, bringing the
   City total project budget (building and radio) to $38.75 million. Design
   has proceeded on the basis of a joint Centre and wide area radio system.

   A companion progress report, dated July 02, 1997 provides a fairly
   extensive history of the EOCC/WAR projects.

   Status of EOCC Projects

   The major partners in the project - - the City of Vancouver, the
   Vancouver Police Board, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ministry
   of Attorney General and Ministry of Health - - continue to provide
   strong support. Most GVRD municipalities have endorsed the proposed
   radio system, the EOCC, and the new governance agency of radio channels.
   Legislation was introduced on June 26, 1997, by the Attorney General
   that will enable the formation of the corporation to own and manage the
   multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional communication centre. The Health
   Minister has recently endorsed the inclusion of BC Ambulance Service in
   the Centre which will also include some 35 police and fire dispatch
   centres.

   Proposals for the radio system have been received and are currently
   being reviewed. On the basis of the tendered prices, specific
   commitments are currently being sought from the participants for the
   Wide Area Radio System.

   Tender for the Building

   The EOCC Building is approximately 60,000 sq. ft. in gross area, and has
   been designed for the Wide Area Radio, City Emergency Operations Centre,
   Ports, RECC, 9-1-1, PEP, Vancouver SES, and BC Ambulance Service.

   On the basis of prequalification submissions, suitably qualified general
   contractors were invited to submit a base price for a defined scope of
   work and separate prices for items which might be incorporated in the
   work, including future participants. The following base prices were
   received:

    Swagger Construction Ltd.                           $9,843,000

    D.G.S. Construction Company Ltd.                    $9,880,000

    Bird Construction Company                           $9,998,000
    Vanbots Construction Inc.                          $10,075,000

    PCL Constructors Canada Inc.                       $10,140,000

    Darwin Construction Ltd.                           $10,218,000

    Country West Construction Ltd.                     $10,249,162
    Farmer Construction Ltd.                           $10,284,401

    Metro-Can Construction (GO) Ltd.                   $10,595,000

    Smith Bros. & Wilson (B.C.) Ltd.                   $11,173,000

   On the basis of price and compliance with the tender documents, it is
   recommended that the contract be awarded to Swagger Construction Ltd. at
   a base price of $9,843,000 plus a cash allowance for separate priced
   items, estimated at approximately $357,000, for items that might be
   incorporated in the work in the future, for a total contract price of up
   to $10,200,000, plus GST. The Contract Price will be adjusted for other
   separate priced items that might be considered at a later date to
   accommodate other items still under consideration.

   The total contract price is within the budget for this portion of the
   work.

   Schedule

   Construction is scheduled to commence in early July 1997 and be
   substantially completed by July 1998 for operation in September 1998. A
   ground breaking ceremony is scheduled for July 14, 1997. In order to
   meet the above schedule the contractor has been authorized to commence
   mobilization work subject to the above approval by Council.


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