CITY OF AUSTIN

… a publication for the City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources Department 

 

Every Week Construction Contractors, Subcontractors & Suppliers Will Receive — Notices About City Construction Projects — News About Other Upcoming Projects & Events — Information About Bid Results & Awards (when available) — Plus Free Use Of The Plans & Computer Center

July, was the hottest month for

2019

Stay COOL!

Invitations For Bids For The Week Of August 19-23, 2019 fyi: City of Austin Bid Notices Are Posted On The City of Austin Purchasing Office

~ Website: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/purchasing ~

BIDDING ON CITY OF AUSTIN SOLICITATIONS? BIDDERS MUST ATTEND MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCES AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND ANY NON-MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCES TO ENSUSRE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF OWNER’S BIDDING AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARY MBE/WBE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. IF THE PRE-BID CONFERENCE IS MANADATORY THE BIDDER MUST ARRIVE AND SIGN-IN WITHIN FIFTEEN 15) MIN-UTES OF THE SCHEDULED START TIME OF THE MEETING. OTHERWISE THE BIDDER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A BID FOR THE PROJECT. The City of Austin Online Vendor Registration and Solicitation Advertising website has changed. On October 1, 2011, the City installed the Vendor Connection, a replacement for the existing registration and solicitation advertising websites. This new site may be accessed at http://www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/finance/index.cfm and select Vendor Connection. Solicitation details and document packages are available at this website. Bidders / Proposers are required to document efforts to solicit MBE/WBE or DBEs in the Compliance Plan. The Goals for each project and the instructions and forms for the Compliance Plan are included in the MBE/WBE or DBE Program Packet included in the solicitation. For construction contracts, the MBE/WBE or DBE Program Packet is a separately bound volume of the Project Manual.

City of Austin

Project Name: HAROLD COURT NICHOLS BUILDING RENOVA- TIONS (CIP ) Solicitation No. 6100 CLMC747 Estimated Value: $2,050,000 MANDATORY Vendor Conf: July 25, 2019 at 10:00 am will be held at 6301 Harold Court, Meeting Rm, Austin TX 78721 site visit will follow the mandatory pre-bid meeting Offers Due: August 22, 2019 prior to 9:00 am For info: Heidi Tse, 512-974-7493 MBE/WBE Goals: African American 1.89% Hispanic 3.62% Asian/Native American 0.80% WBE 1.57%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Fencing Temporary Fire Suppression Foam Lockers, Storage (hats/costs/baggage) Bathroom Accessories, fans, mirrors, medicine cabinets Toilet Partitions and Doors Finishes: Flooring/Wall/Ceiling Panel Wall Systems Installation, Maintenance/ Repair Construction Services, General Construction Irrigation System Demolition Services Management Construction Back Fill/Trench Pavement Marking Lines/Lts/Sym Concrete Electrical HVAC Plumbing Structural/Reinforcement Steel Hauling Services Site Work Thermal/Moisture Protection Services Garage/Refuse Equipment Dumpsters, Rental Landscaping (design, fertilizing, planting)

POTENTIAL PRIME BIDDERS Southwest Corporation, Bob Ellis, 512-836-1552 LMC Corporation, David Bingham, 210-551-6965

ASD Consultants, Nagarnvov Faupproxmsx?, 512-529-7411 Gadberry Construction, Rich Debraffeniad?, 214-935-1696

SSJV, Liz Saliz, 512-771-1039 Brown & Root Industries, Tom Baumgartner, 519-992-8651

Veliz Construction, Ana Martinez, 512-993-8775 GHyatt Construction, Justin Hyatt, 512-650-5637

Project Name: EXISTING TERMINAL CENTRALIZED BHS UP GRADES). Solicitation No.: 6100 CLMA031 Estimated Value: -0- MANDATORY Vendor Conf: July 31, 2019 at 1:30 pm will be held at ABIA, 2716 Spirit of Texas Drive, Rm, 174 A, B, and C, Austin, TX 78719 1:30P Offers Due: August 29. 2019 prior to 3:00 pm For info: LaVonia Horne, 512-974-5627 DBE: Goals: DBE 12.23%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Architect Services, Professional Aviation Consulting Quality Assurance/Control Consulting Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Structural Engineering

POTENTIAL PRIME BIDDERS Austin Commercial, Jack Archer, David Smith, 512-306-9880, 512-423-2445

Austin Commercial, Darryl McDonald, 813-774-1129 Alex, Fleming, 512-925-4672 Hensel Phelps, Dwight Runkels, Matthew Silver, Alexis Herzog, 512-834-9898

Rider Construction Group, Scott Rider, Chris, Johnson, 512-330-4602, 303-437-1112 Flintco, Eric Churchill, 512-784-1754

Gadberry Construction, Rich Debraflenieid?, 214-938-1696 JE Dunn, David Weatherbie, 512-201-5728, Jennifer Finch, 737-212-4576

Archer Western, Erik Logan, 312-656-0172 Manhattan Construction, Paul Dorsey, 972-822-8893

PGAL, Charles Meyer, 512-643-5106

Project Name: ZILKER METRO PARK BARTON CREEK TRAILHEAD RESTROOM & WATER QU(CIP) Solicitation No.: 6100 CLMC685B Estimated Value: ? Vendor Conf July 25, 2019 at10:30 am at PARD Annex, 919 W. 28 1/2 St., Lamar Rm, Austin TX 78705 Offers Due: August 22, 2019 prior to 10:00 am For info: D'Anne Williams, 512-974-456 MBE/WBE Goals: African American 2.05% Hispanic 4.07% Asian/Native American 0.67% WBE 2.44%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Stone Building (Except Marble) Doors, Frames, Jambs, Steel Boxes, Utility, Gutter Downspouts, Gutter Lighting Fixtures Indoor, parts Transformer Parts/Acce Fencing, Chain Link (fabric/gates/pane Plexiglass Glass Steel Wire Panels Shrubbery, Evergreen Bathroom Accessories Toilet Partitions/Doors Water Heaters, Commercial Sod, Grass Signs American Disabili inishes Flooring Wall and Ceiling Site Work Pest Control Structures, Steel Construction Irrigation Demolition Services Excavation Services Construction Curb/Gutter Const, Parking Lot/All Construction Sidewalk/Driveway Pavement Marking Lines/Ltrs, etc Concrete Electrical Masonry Painting Plumbing Foundation, Con Erosion Control Masonry Painting Plumbing Foundation, Concrete Erosion Control Services Landscaping, design, fertilizing, planting Landscaping, Tree and Plant Protection during Constructi

POTENTIAL PRIME BIDDERS GHyatt Construction, Roger Jacoby, 512-650-5637

Rider Construction Group, Scott Rider, 512-330-4602

2019 . . . Keep Your MBE/WBE/DBE Certifications Current with the City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources

Department (SMBR) Certification Division for more information call 512-974-7645

Project Name: AIRFIELD ELECTRICAL & PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS Solicitation No: CLMC758 Estimated Value: $ 9,721,000 Scope of Work: Improvements to airfield lighting, signage and pavement to increase circuit reliability and repair pavement condition to FAA Standards. In- cludes work to update runway markings and signage for a shift in magnetic variance Mandatory Vendor Conf. August 6, 2019 at 1:00 pm, held at 2716 Spirit of Texas Drive, Austin TX 78719 Offers Due : August 29, 2019 prior to 10:00am For info. Murtha Donovan (512) 974-7251 DBE Goals: 10.77% DBE

POTENTIAL PRIME BIDDERS Dalrlymple Gravel & Contracting, 830-557-5020, Ashley Fousch

Jordan Foster Construction, 512-820-7770, Chris Paladd Rider Construction Group, 512-330-4602, Scott Rider

Eutan Construction Company, Inc., 662-813-3230, Jarrad Goff Head, Inc., Daniel Montalvo, 830-469-6203

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Underground Cables And Wires, Solid And Stranded, Conduit, Pvc, Sch. 40 Fencing, Temporary (For Construction And Other Ind Demolition Services Excavation Services Management, Construction Construction: Airport Roadway, Runway/ Taxiway Sawing Concrete Driveways, Pavement,/Sidewalks Concrete Electrical Photography, Construction Remediation Services, Environmental Laboratory/Field Testing Services Hauling Services Inspection Services, Construction Type Pavement Marking Services (Including Removal Of Ma Toilets, Portable, Rental/Lease Erosion Control Services Guard/Security Services (Including Traffic Control)

Project Name: CARSON CREEKBASIN WASTE WATERLIINE IMPROV Solicitation No.: CLMC757 Estimated Value: $1,830,000 Vendor Conf.: August 8, 2019 at 8:30 am will be held at 505 Barton Springs Rd, 10th Floor, Conf. Rm. 1070, Austin, TX 78704 Offers Due: August 29, 2019 prior to 10:00 AM For info. Tomas Rodriguez (512) 974-7730. MBE/WBE Goals: African American 2.89% Hispanic 5.90% Native/Asian 0.92% WBE 1.37%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Fencing, Temporary (For Construction And Other Ind Pipe, Pvc (Polyvinyl Chloride) Manholes, And Manhole Covers, Frames, Grates, Ring Construction, (Backfill, Digging, Ditch-ing, Road Grading, Excavation Services Construction, Sewer And Storm Drain Construction, Water System, Main And Service Line Boring, Drilling, Testing And Soundings Tree And Shrub Removal Services Erosion Control Services

Project Name: DAVIS LANE # 1 RESEVOIR IMPRV. Solicitation No: CLMC756 Estimated Value: $3,352,107 Vendor Conf. August 8, 2019 at 9:00 am, at 3616 S 1st SSC Bldng Ste 600, Austin, TX . Offers Due: September 5, 2019 prior to 10:30 am For info. Ryan Baxter (512) 972-0231 MBE/WBE Goals: African American: 1.32% Hispanic: 4.63% Native/Asian: 1.20% WBE: 0.49%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Site Work Electrical Welding Photography, Construction Cathodic Protection Services Painting Structural Steel And Metal Railings

Project Name: HIGHLAND PARK W&WW IMPROVEMENTS - PHASE 1 & WL-C1 Solicitation No: CLMC762 Estimated Value: $ 7,400,711 Vendor Conf.: August 22, 2019 at 1:30 pm, Public Works Dept., (OTC)

505 Barton Springs Rd., Suite 325, Austin, TX 78702 Offers Due: September 19, 2019 prior to 10:00 AM For info: Shobana Angia (512) 974-1581 MBE/WBE Goals: African American: 1.17% Hispanic: 6.32% Native Asian : 0.34% WBE: 1.42%

PROJECT TRADE SUMMARY Barricades, Traffic, Portable Concrete, Precast Flexible Base Signs, Construction Project Identification Signs Demolition Services Excavation Services Construction, Pipeline Paving/Resurfacing, Street (Major And Residential) Concrete Boring For Road Crossing Hauling Services Pavement Marking Services (Including Removal Of M Erosion Control Services Landscaping (Including Design, Fertilizing, Planting

Project Name: WALNUT CREEK WW TREATMENT PLANT PUMPING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS(CIP) Solicitation No.: CLMC754 MANDATORY Vendor Conf: August 29, 2019 at 10:00 am, will be held at Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, 7113 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724 Civic Room Offers Due: October 3, 2019 prior to 10:00 am For info: Gabriel Castano, 512-974-2937 MBE/WBE Goals: African American – 1.48% Hispanic 4.06% Asian/Native American – 1.01% WBE 1.05%

Local Plan Room Sites To View & Check-out Plans & Specifications or CDs

City of Austin Construction & Technology Center 4201 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Suite 2103, Austin, TX 78721 website: www.austintexas,gov/smbr 512-974-7799

Austin Area Black Contractors Association (ABCA) 6448 Highway 290 East, Suite E-107, Austin, Texas 78723 website: www.abcatx.com 512-467-6894

Asian Contractor Association (ACA) 4201 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Suite 2104, Austin, Texas 78721 website: www.asiancontractor@gmail.com 512-926-5400

Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, Building Branch 609 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas 78704 website: www.agcaustin.org 512-442-7887

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) 3006 Longhorn Blvd., Suite 104, Austin, Texas 78758 website: www.abccentraltexas.org 512-719-5263

United Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin (USHCA) 7701 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78752 website: www.uscha-austin.com 737-708-8101

Opening Solicitation Description Buyer

PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

08/22/19 1907-006-TG Springdale Road Sidewalk Tawana Gardner 2:00 p.m. (512)854-9761 08/08/19 10:30 A.M. AN OPTIONAL PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT 700 LAVACA ST., 8th FLOOR, SUITE 800, AUSTIN, TX 78701 *No Estimated Budget

Travis County

Aspira‐tional Goals

2016 Disparity Study Profes‐sional Services

 

African‐American

Hispanic Asian‐American

Native‐American

MBE Total WBE M/WBE Total

1.13% 5.54% 3.50% 0.32% 10.48% 10.10% 20.58%

Rider Construction Group (RCG) is pre- paring a bid response for the new construction project at the Zilker Metro Park Barton Creek Trailhead Restroom Facility adjacent to the Zilker Hillside Theater.

The scope includes asphalt demolition and vari-ous site work improvements related to water quality, new curbs and walkways, and gutter installation. We invite you to review the plans and specif ications from the Austin Finance link provided. https://www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=130998

Please consider this invitation a timely outreach to your firm to share bidding opportunities in many subcontracted trades for the Zilker Restroom Rebid Project. We are reaching out to all the City Certified M/WBE vendors listed in the SMBR Availability List for the Zilker Restroom Rebid M/WBE Com-pliance Plan to request competitive bids. ALL SUBCONTRACTOR BID RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 11:00 A.M. ON MONDAY, AUGUST 19TH.

Please indicate your interest to bid ASAP to estimat-ing@ridercg.com. RCG strives to make continuous improve-ments to our Subcontracting Outreach Program. Please call Karl Kirkman (512) 649-7226 if you have questions.

Kitchell Contractors is soliciting bid proposals from Historically Underutilized Busi-nesses for participation in the following project:

Invitation to Bid: TFC – TCEQ Park 35 Central Plant Upgrades 100% Pre-Purchase Equipment Set

TFC Project No.: 18-019-5740 Kitchell Project No.: 6584

Description of Work:

Pre-Purchase Equipment Set for both HVAC/Plumbing Equipment. Project Location(s): 12100 Park 35 Circle, Austin, TX 78753

Project Description: Mechanical Equipment upgrades including new Cooling Tower, Exterior Pumps, Basin Sweeper, Noncondensing Boiler & Piping, Air-Cooled Chiller & Piping and Condenser Water Piping. Project includes demoing existing Ice Storage System, Cooling Tower, Boiler, Air-Cooled Chiller, and associated piping. There will be associated Electrical and Structural scopes included in this DM project.

Please submit questions to Kaley Simon, Kitchell Preconstruction Manager at ksi-mon@kitchell.com by Friday, August 16th at 11:00am to be submitted to the design team for clarifications.

-Construction Schedule: Included with the Kitchell Instruction to Bidders -Minimum wage scale applies per Specifications-see additional general conditions -Tax exempt project -Please contact Kaley Simon at ksimon@kitchell.com if interested in the project to gain access to the planroom.

Proposal Submission Due Date: Bids should be uploaded to Building Connected. You will receive an invite via Building Connected. All proposals are due Monday, August 26th, 2019 at 2:00 PM and will not be accepted after the due date of 2:00PM.

Please review the Instructions to Bidders document uploaded for this project, with specifications per trade, work hours, and pertinent information about this project.

SAFETY: Construction wearables' futuristic features are more feasible than you think

Imagine a futuristic construction environment where employees are individually and auto-matically alerted to a hazardous situation prior to a would-be accident occurring. Workers' levels of fatigue are monitored and measured one by one and the worker is warned when he or she is too close to moving equipment, edges or dangerous areas. A system autono-mously informs them and their supervisors if an immediate behavior change is required to prevent injury. Well, this type of jobsite is more feasible than you might think. Wearable technologies are making a significant splash in the market. As construction

professionals, you might be asked to provide your opinion on this new technology, see a demonstration at a conference or participate in a pilot program. These requests will only increase as wearable technology becomes more prevalent in the construc-tion sector.

Wearable technology presents the opportunity to improve safety, reduce injuries, improve efficiencies and enhance quality of life for construction workers.

While this technology is in the early stages of adoption, it shows tremendous promise for companies seeking to improve critical areas that drive efficiency, profitability and safety

Defining wearable technology An internet search for "wearable technology" returns thousands of definitions. The defini-tions apply to various industry sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and construc-tion. In order to better understand how wearable technology can help contractors achieve their goals, though, let's settle on the definition Amerisure’s risk management team uses. Construction wearables are devices, generally including a computer or advanced electronic device, worn on a construction worker’s body, clothing, or personal protective equipment, designed to collect and deliver data about the worker's environment, activities and biometric conditions. The technology has the ability to detect and warn the employee of the potential for injury, or reduce the seriousness of an injury when one occurs. Objectives are achieved by providing portable and timely access to sensors, computers and electronics. The indus-try's emerging access to multifunctional technology and its ability to collect and analyze relevant data is revolutionizing worker protection.

How wearable technology can improve safetyHow wearable technology can improve safety Wearable technology will realize its objectives in numerous ways:

Devices can provide audible or vibration alarms to warn workers when they are too close to danger, such as moving equipment or a leading edge.

Devices may warn the individual of a hazardous physical movement — such as bending, twisting, reaching or lifting.

Devices may caution a worker when they are nearing exhaustion. Devices can alleviate muscular and skeletal joint stress by assisting with lifting or working overhead. In emergency situations, devices can alert emergency personnel and lead rescuers to the injured worker’s location.

Types of wearablesTypes of wearables

Predictions identify the widespread use of wearable technologies in construction over the next seven to 10 years. Currently, several technology and insurance companies are partnering with contractors to run pilot programs that test various types of wearables. Typical types of wearables currently being piloted, or in limited use on construction sites include the following:

Visual wearables — devices that use optical aids in or on glasses, visors and hard hats to produce images for remote viewers and/or the wearer. Visual wearables can bring value to training, troubleshooting, quality control and other situations where visual representation of a concept is needed. This type of wearable con-nects field employees to remote technical/supervisory employees, allowing both parties to view items simultaneously. Sharing visual information overlaid on actual work environments can enhance instructions, training and verification of practices and materials. Another benefit of this type of wearable is that field workers’ hands remain free to work while they are discussing solutions or working through an issue.

Tactile wearables — devices that work as an exoskeleton to increase the user’s strength and durability. Tactile wearables are designed as exoskeletons that provide extra strength or endurance to the wearer. They also limit the force on the wearer’s muscular skeletal frame. Force is constantly monitored and the wearable responds to protect the wearer. The potential for strains, sprains and back injuries can be reduced, while simultane-ously increasing a wearer’s capacity and endurance.

Sensing wearables — devices that can sense a worker’s biological, environmental and physical conditions. In addition to sensing conditions, the device analyzes data using edge computing and warns the employee of hazardous situations that can lead to an injury. Sensors come in many forms including badges, actuators, biosensors, gyroscopes and more. They record and evaluate the wearer’s physical condition, location and environment. These wearables can sense location, impact, motion, temperature, vital signs and blood gases and evaluate and interpret the data to provide actionable information. Sensors can also be deployed in numerous configurations that make wearing them simple, easy and unobtrusive. Methods of deployment can include attachments to hardhats, safety glasses or personal protective equipment. Clip-on wearables can be attached to shirts, vests and belts. Edge computers can be contained in wrist bands or clip-on devices. Wearables can also be embedded in the sole of shoes or worn as insoles.Wearables not only have value for individual workers — they can enhance a company’s ability to manage safety experi-ences as well. Most wearables feed data to customizable dashboards, which allows a company's leadership to view and evaluate performance data associated with the entire organization, specific jobsites, job categories, job functions and employees. This data and subsequent analysis helps identify specific areas of exposures that have the potential to increase injuries. It also provides the opportunity to alter operations prior to accidents or injuries. In an ongoing pilot program, wearables decreased unsafe lifting behaviors by up to 38 percent. Source: Construction Dive Magazine. August 2010

AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND PROJECT UPCOMING AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECT 

Solicitation No:      20CSP011 – Reagan High School Pre‐Proposal Conf:                 10:00 AM CST, August 1, 2019, Reagan High                                                    School:  7104 Berkman Drive, Austin, TX 78752 Proposal Deadline:                02:00 PM CST, August 27, 2019, Austin ISD Contract                                                    & Procurement Svcs:                                                    1111 West 6th Street, Building B, Suite 300, Austin,                                                    TX 78703 For Info:                                    Jennifer Nix (Jennifer.nix@austinisd.org)                                                    AISD Contract & Procurement Svcs,                                                     (512) 414‐8937 HUB Goals:                               African American:  1.7%         Hispanic: 8.1%                                                    Asian/Native American:1.9% WBE:     10.2%    

Project Trade Summary Erosion/Sedimant Control                                                             Sitework Hazardous Matl Abatement                                                          Sod, Grass Painting                                                                                             Electrical 

Project Name:      Electrical Upgrades at Odom Elementary School             Chiller, Lightingl Solicitation No:      20CSP013 Pre‐Proposal Conf:                  10:00 AM CST, August 15, 2019, Odom Elementa                                                      School:1010 Turtle Creek Blvd., Portable 14, Austin,                                                     TX 78745 Proposal Deadline:                  02:00 PM CST, September 10, 2019, Austin ISD                                                     Contract & Procurement Svcs: 1111 West 6th Street,                                                     Building B, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78703 For Info:                                     Jennifer Nix (Jennifer.nix@austinisd.org)  AISD Contract & Procurement Svcs, (512) 414-8937

HUB Goals: African American: 1.7%    Hispanic: 8.1%                                                     Asian/Native American:1.9%       WBE:       10.2%  

Project Trade Summary Hazardous Material Abatement    Pipe, Copper      Tubing, Steel                                                     Water Heaters, Commercial     Plumbing                          Electrical                                     Chiller, Heat Exchange & Rec    Lighting Fixtures, Indoor 

City of Austin

Small and Minority Business Resources Department

(SMBR)

512-974-7600 MANAGEMENT TEAM

● Edward Campos, Acting  Director  Tamela Saldana,      Compliance Officer  Elton Price, Certification       Division Manager  Thomas Owens, Resource     Services  Division  Mgr  

HURRY!! Reserve your seat TODAY!! Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn...how to become a registered vendor with ACC, requirements for proposal submission, certifying as a Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE), and lots more! When: Friday, August 23, 2019 | 1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. | Registration starts at Noon Where: Highland Business Center, Room 201 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin, Texas 78752

To register for this event, please click SBDP Outreach Meeting.

Kelli Hollins, MS, MBA Small Business Development Coordinator

Procure to Pay (P2P) Austin Community College (ACC) Service Center 9101 Tuscany Way | Austin, Texas 78754 T: 512-223-1039 | F: 512-223-1902 Email: kelli.hollins@austincc.edu

Austin Commercial, LP is soliciting City of Austin certified Minority and Women-Owned Businesses for the following pro-ject:

Project: Austin FC MLS Soccer Stadium General Contractor: Austin Commercial, LP Project Description: 20,500 Seat Soccer Stadium for Major League Soccer

Pre-Proposal Conference: RFP #2B Tuesday, August 20, 2019 – 3:00 PM CST Austin Commercial Offices 1301 S Mopac Expwy, Ste #300, Austin, TX 78746 RFI Deadline: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 – 5:00 pm CST Proposal Deadline: Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 2:00 PM CST Specific Scopes Included in This Solicitation: Turnkey Drilled Piers Elevators Precast- Architectural & Structural 

Bid documents can be viewed at: https://austinindustries.sharefile.com/d-sb5fd222af874d1d9

Below is a list of local Minority Trade Associations for refer-ence: Austin Black Contractors Association (ABCA) – (512) 467-6894 U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin – (512) 627-5444 Asian Contractor Association - (512) 926-5400 The City of Austin has assigned the following MBE/WBE participation goals for this package: African-American: 2.04% Hispanic: 3.86% Asian/Native-American: 0.16% Women: 6.06% For general questions, contact: Joe Thompson jthompson@Austin-Ind.com │ (512) 306.9880 Anna Howe | ahowe@Austin-Ind.com │ (512) 306.9880. For Scope Specific Questions: Joe Thompson jthompson@Austin-Ind.com │ (512) 306.9880 Anna Howe | ahowe@Austin-Ind.com │ (512) 306.9880

Please submit proposals to Joe Thompson via email.

Effective Aug. 19, the Small Business Administra-tion (SBA) is raising its monetary-based small busi-ness size standards for inflation by an average of 8.4%, an adjustment that the administration expects will allow 90,000 additional companies to partici-pate in its loan and contracting programs. The SBA said that this increase could result in $750 million more total contracts awarded to small businesses and awarded to small businesses and as much as $65 million more in small business loans.  

In order to be considered a small business under current SBA guidelines, most general, heavy and civil construction companies cannot have more than $36.5 million of average annual sales receipts. The SBA's interim final rule raises that threshold about 8.2% to $39.5 million. The current thresh-old of $15 million for specialty contractors — i.e. electrical, concrete, plumbing, HVAC, painting — and those companies that provide engineering ser-vices will increase 10% to $16.5 million. The cap on average annual receipts for architects is increas-ing by about 6.7% to $7.5 million.  The last adjust-ment for inflation made to the SBA's monetary size standards was in 2014. The administration has also requested comments on the new limits, and those must be submitted by September 16.

Construction Tool Tip● The Dotted Line: 7 invoice mistakes that waste time, money

1. Not knowing what's in the contract Reading a contract and knowing its terms are the first steps to getting invoices right. The contract contains information on which forms to use, billing and payment timelines and what information must accom-pany each payment request — this is important to know if you want to be able to pay bills and make payroll.

"As basic as it sounds,” said Carl Oliveri, partner and construction practice leader at New York City accounting and consulting firm Grassi & Co, “that's where it all starts and stops. If you're not billing within the terms of the contract, you're not going to get paid.”

Mostly, the confusion arises in the relationship between subcontractor and general contractor, but GCs need to be aware of the requirements attached to their invoicing procedures with the owner.

General contractors and subs "don't review [the requirements] prior to the contract formation, and then are shocked as to what is in there.”

When a project uses construction loans, for instance, there could be specific requirements that flow down from loan terms into the general contract, said attorney Timothy DeHaut, co-chair of the construction law practice at Giordano Halleran & Ciesla in the New York City area. For instance, prior to payment, the GC could be asked to sign away the right to any claims against the project through the date of payment so as to minimize the owner’s and lender’s exposure to change orders or unexpected costs.

This can happen to subcontractors as well, he said, and recommends that all contractors try to negotiate terms of lien waivers or other docu-ments that could cut into their rights to bill for extra work.

General contractors and subs "don't review [the requirements] prior to the contract formation,” DeHaut said, “and then are shocked as to what is in there.”

Another big mistake contractors make when it comes to pay applica-tions is not turning them in at all, although this is a problem that really applies to subcontractors that don’t have the administrative sup-port staff to handle invoicing, Oliveri said.

The individuals who run those companies, he said, don’t look at pro-jects as the profit centers they are but instead see the billing function as a burdensome task. Filling out paperwork takes away from what they’re doing, he said, which is running their jobs. What they don’t understand, however, is that each project has to sustain itself, and the only way it's going to be successful is to get cash into the business.

However, if a subcontractor does neglect to turn in a bill, the general contractor, which must submit a pay requisition to the owner for all work completed, might have it covered and then turn in a bill for the sub’s work so the GC can get paid on schedule.

One reason a general contractor would pay the subcontractor anyway, said Oliveri, is because of the “pay when paid” clauses that are in many subcontracts. This obligates the general contractor to pay a subcon-tractor if it has received payment from the owner for the subcontrac-tor’s work.

Another reason, he said, is that general contractors don’t want disrup-tions caused by a cash-poor subcontractor —i.e. material suppliers refusing to deliver because they haven’t been paid or employees not showing up because they haven’t seen a paycheck. 2. Submitting incorrect invoices Even when construction firms do submit their billing on time, some-times the invoices aren't for the right amount.

Subcontractors especially, DeHaut said, may try to front-load a pay application to get a little extra cash flow by stating that they have com-pleted a higher percentage of work than they actually have. “That’s never a good idea,” he said. Sometimes those applications sail through, but if the architect or a bank inspector checks the project paperwork to verify the numbers, it can lead to a loss of the sub's credibility and delays the payment process.

But one area where contractors can often bill legitimately in advance of work performed — but don’t — is when the necessary materials have been delivered to the site or to an approved offsite storage location. That issue, DeHaut said, should be worked out before subcontractors sign their contracts. Depending on the trade, the materials could repre-sent a significant portion of the subcontract amount, and the subcon-tractors’ suppliers might not wait until after installation to be paid.

33. . Making change order mistakesMaking change order mistakes And then there are change orders. Mistakes here tend to happen more on subcontractor applications and are often a result of miscommunica-tion in the field.

Contractors might think additional work they have performed is ap-proved, even though they haven’t received a fully executed change or-der from the customer yet, so they bill for it anyway.

In a system like Textura, Rowe said, unapproved change orders won’t process, so it brings the issue to the forefront right away.

In order to help avoid confusion around change orders, DeHaut said, using the American Institute of Architects’ G702 Application for Pay-ment and the accompanying G703 Continuation Sheet forms help keep paying status and change order information organized.

“It’s an accurate reflection of the work,” he said, “and makes the job [of tracking them] easier. [The forms are] upfront and tend to help avoid disputes at the end

4. Not paying attention to clients' billing processes Some of the problems that subcontractors, particularly smaller ones, have with compliance to the terms of a contract are sometimes due to their limited experience with a wide variety of clients. These companies have spent years doing business with just a few general contractors and just assume other general contractors conduct business the same way.

Oliveri said subs should try to make a concerted effort to get to know the billing process and schedule of each client. There might even be a contract clause that allows billing twice a month instead of just once, which is most common in subcontracts. For cash flow, that could be a game changer.

Sarah Rowe, accounting director for general contractor Gray Construc-tion in Lexington, Kentucky, said the company, which performs work in several states, requires that most subcontractors use Textura, which is a popular payment processing software. Using Textura, she said, has streamlined Gray’s subcontractor pay application process because all of the required documents — including lien waivers — must be up-loaded with the electronic pay request. This cuts down on the confu-sion that accompanies the typical monthly paper swap at billing time and gets Gray’s subcontractors paid about five days earlier.

Even so, some subcontractors will not submit the required documents, and Rowe said she believes that it’s because they’re just not aware of the contract requirements.

5. Failing to communicate with subs This lack of communication, Rowe said, usually starts at the beginning of a project between the subcontractor’s project management team and accounting department. Many times, a sub’s accounting team is not involved with contract negotiations and is not made aware of billing procedures until it isn’t paid.

“So once [our accounting department] gets past the [subcontractor’s] project team to the accounting group,” she said, “they know what's required, and then it becomes part of the monthly process, and their payments are not held up.”

“What you really need to do in that instance is create a bridge between project management and accounting,” Oliveri said. “You need to break down the silo between office and field, and the best kind of position [for that] is a project accountant, who is going to be able to work with all the project managers on financial data.”

6. Submitting invoices late Contractors might think additional work they have performed is ap-proved, even though they haven’t received a fully executed change or-der from the customer yet, so they bill for it anyway.

In a system like Textura, Rowe said, unapproved change orders won’t process, so it brings the issue to the forefront right away.

In order to help avoid confusion around change orders, DeHaut said, using the American Institute of Architects’ G702 Application for Payment and the accompanying G703 Continuation Sheet forms help keep paying status and change order information organized.

“It’s an accurate reflection of the work,” he said, “and makes the job [of tracking them] easier. [The forms are] upfront and tend to help avoid disputes at the end.”

7. Not negotiating retainage Subcontractors also miss opportunities to apply for a reduction in the amount of retainage that general contractors often hold out of their payments because they don’t realize they can. Typically, 10% of the contract amount is withheld, but that is sometimes reduced to 5% or lower when the project hits a certain percentage of completion mile-stone.

“I definitely feel like the subcontractor community should become very well educated in that because there are certain states that have very specific retainage rules, and if they're not aware of that, they could be missing out,” Rowe said.

The real lesson here, Oliveri said, is that contractors and subcontrac-tors should be billing as often as they can for as much as they can within the limits of their contracts. The Dotted Line series is brought to you by AIA Contract Documents®, a recognized leader in design and construction contracts. To learn more about their 200+ contracts, and to access free resources, visit their web-site. AIA Contract Documents has no influence over Construction Dive's coverage within the articles, and content does not reflect the views or opin-ions of The American Institute of Architects, AIA Contract Documents or its employees.

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SMBR’s Plan Room provides free electronic access to the McGraw-Hill Dodge system of drawings and con-struction specifications for projects in 100 counties in South and Central Texas as well as hard copy plans and

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PRE PROPOSAL CONFERENCE Tuesday, August 27. 2019 at 10:00 AM

Hensel Phelps’ District Office 8326 Cross Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754

PROPOSALS ACCEPTED Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 2:00 PM

Hensel Phelps’ District Office 8326 Cross Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754

Proposal selection will be on a best value basis. All Travis County Certified Historically Underutilized Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Travis County HUB Office has established the following participation goals for this Proposal Pack-age:

African American 1.46% Hispanic 8.08% Native American 0.38% Asian Pacific American 1.65% Non Minority Female 8.56% HUB Totals 20.13%

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is available at (512) 834-9848 or fax (512) 834-9844. Our company is an E.E.O. Employer. We encour-age and actively solicit proposals from Historically Underutilized Businesses for all projects.

Project No. 7018146 PROPOSAL PACKAGE No. 7

consist of the following trades: Masonry—CMU Structural and Miscellaneous Steel Ornamental Metals Overhead Doors and Loading Dock Simulated Wood Soffits Stucco Access Flooring Parking Equipment Food Service Equipment Security Screening Scanning Equipment Optical Turnstiles Trash Compactor Operable Partition Window Washing Equipment

A current set of plans and specifications can be reviewed at Hensel Phelps’ office8326 Cross Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754

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