Invitations For Bids For The Week Of February 23-27, 2015 fyi: City of Austin Bid Notices Are Posted On The City of Austin Purchasing Office

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

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

CITY OF AUSTIN CONSTRUCTION INVITATIONS FOR BID

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 FIF-TEEN 15) MINUTES OF THE SCHEDULED START TIME OF THE MEETING. OTHERWISE THE BIDDER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A BID FOR THE PRO-JECT. The City of Austin Online Vendor Registration and Solicitation Advertising website has changed. On October 1, 2011, the City installed the Vendor Connec-tion, 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 in-cluded 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.

UPCOMING CITY OF AUSTIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Salute To

Parks, Rosa Louise, 1913–2005, American civil-rights activist, b. Tuskegee, Ala., as Rosa Louise McCauley. A seamstress and long-time activist-member of the Montgomery, Ala., chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), her Dec. 1, 1955, arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. This successful protest, which lasted just over a year, marked the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr., to national prominence as a civil-rights leader and provided the model for future nonviolent movement actions. Fired from her job and un-able to find work, Parks moved in 1957 to Detroit, where she re-mained active in the civil-rights movement and worked (1965–88) as an aide to Congressman John Conyers. She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress's highest honor, in 1999. See her autobiography (1992); biography by D. Brinkley (2000) and J. Theoharis (2013).

Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madame C. J. Walker)|businesswoman, philanthropist Born: 12/23/1867 | Birthplace: Delta, La. | Died: 5/25/1919 After a series of bereavements that left her orphaned at 6 and widowed at 20, she and her daughter A'Lelia moved to St. Louis to start over. She worked days as a washerwoman and went to night school before inventing (1905) a process for straightening the hair of African-Americans. Her process, combining her unique formula with brushes and heated combs, caught on, and with the money from her successful business she and her daughter moved to Denver. She married Charles J. Walker, and began promoting her product and process under the name of Madame C. J. Walker. She opened a permanent office in Pittsburgh in 1908, which her daughter ran, and in 1910 she formed Madame C. J. Walker Laboratories in Indianapolis, where she developed products and trained her beauticians, known as “Walker Agents.” The agents and the products were recognized in black communi-ties throughout the U.S. and Caribbean for promoting the philoso-phy that cleanliness and loveliness could advance the plight of African-Americans. At her death, the multi-million dollar estate was left to various philanthropic organizations and to her daugh-ter, whose philanthropic endeavors were key to funding the Har-lem Renaissance. Source: Info Please Database

Project Name: ANIMAL CENTR KENNEL ADDITION & CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVE (CIP) Solicitation No.: CLMA017 Estimated Value: $5,600,00 MANDATORY Vendor Conf: February 25, 2015 at 9:00 am, at Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop at 9:00A on 2/24/15. Offers Due: March 23, 2015 prior to 3:00 pm For info: Kalpana Sutaria, 512-974-7225. MBE/WBE Goals: African American – 1.90% Hispanic – 9.00% Native/Asian – 4.90% WBE – 15.80%

PROJECT TRADES SUMMARY Architect Services, Professional Landscape Architecture Surveying Services Environmental Consulting Civil engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Structural Engineering Cost Estimating

Project Name: FISKVILLE SUBSTATION ENCLOSURE (CIP) Solicitation No.: IFB 6100 CLMC528 Estimated Value: $176,000 MANDATORY Vendor Conf: February 26, 2015 at 9:00 m, at 2526 Kramer Lane, Building E Room 208 Assembly Room at 9:00A on 2/26/15 Offers Due March 12, 2016 prior to 9:00 m For info: Tara Delagarza (no phone no listed) MBE/WBE GOALS: African American – 0.44% Hispanic – 2.67% Native/Asian – 0.72% WBE – 2.63%

PROJECT TRADES SUMMARY Panels, Concrete Precast Fencing, chain Link Fencing, temporary Steel Reinforcing Concrete Steel Reinforcing Mesh Demolition Demolition Services Toilets, Portable, Rental or Lease Fence Installation and Repair

General Overview of Weatherization Measures Doing Business with Austin Energy’s Weatherization Program

Austin Energy offers free home energy improvements to customers with low-to-moderate incomes. The improvements reduce energy costs and enhance indoor comfort. Improvements are performed by Weatherization Contractors selected through a City of Austin procurement process to perform the work. Contractors selected to weatherize homes must be able to perform the work and pass final inspections. Weatherization Contractors should be experienced in performing or installing the following categories:

CFL Replacement Solar Screens Air Infiltration Attic Insulation

Duct Sealing, Repair Replacement Water Conservation Installing CO & Smoke Detectors

This workshop is to provide a general overview of Weatherization Measurements to succeed as a Weatherization Contractor on future Austin Energy contracts. We encourage certified minority and women-owned businesses interested in doing business with Austin Energy as a Weatherization Contractor to attend this workshop.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 12, 2015 9:00a.m – 12:00 pm

Location: City of Austin, Learning and Research Center (LRC)

2800 Spirit of Texas Dr., Auditorium Room Austin, Texas 78719

Please RSVP by Tuesday, March 10, 2015. For additional information or to RSVP, please contact Amelie Gonzalez at 512-322-6169 or via email at Amelie.Gonzalez-Flores@austinenergy.com.

SELECTED “RED FLAG” INDICATORS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

In fraud involving conflict of interest, a contracting or oversight official misrepresents That he or she is impartial in business decisions when he or she has an undisclosed

Financial interest in a contractor or consultant who inflates the job cost to the Government.

•Unexplained or unusual favoritism shown to a particular contractor or consultant

•Government official disclosing confidential bid information to a contractor or assisting the contractor in preparing the bid

•Employee having discussions about employment with a current or prospective contractor or consultant

•Close socialization with an acceptance of inappropriate gifts, travel or entertainment from a contractor

•Vendor or consultant address being incomplete or matching employee’s address

•Government official leasing or renting equipment to a contractor

•Contracting or purchasing employee living beyond his or her means

•Contracting employee fails to file Conflict of Interest or Financial Disclosure forms

•Employee declines promotion from a procurement position

It’s not just a few b u c k s b e t w e e n friends. Bribery occurs when a contractor misrepresents the cost of performing work by compensating a gov-ernmental official for permitting contract overcharges to in-crease contractor profit. Recognized and Report Fraud in Feder-ally Funded Programs, Contracts and Grants

to 800-424-9071

US Dept of Transporta-tion Office of Inspector

General

Source: City of Austin Public Works Department

Proposed Construction Projects Bidding Between 11/01/14 and 12/31/15

Advertise-ment Date Project Cost Estimate

Nov-14 Barrington Way FM Reroute and Gravity System Upgrade 1,943,000

Nov-14 Lockheed LS Relief 500,000

Nov-14 Parking Operation Improvements 7,350,000

Dec-14 Harris Branch Interceptor Lower A 5,915,000

Dec-14 Rio Grande St. Reconstruction and Utility Adjustment from 24th to 29th St. 7,290,000

Dec-14 3rd St. Reconstruction Phase 4 - Guadalupe St. to Nueces St. 3,200,000

Dec-14 SAR Thickener Improvements 6,750,000

Dec-14 Spicewood Springs PS Util Improvements-TM 2,200,000

Dec-14 Davis WTP TWDS-Medium Service PS 33,521,000

Dec-14 Upper Boggy Creek Trail Phase 1 1,065,000

Jan-15 Walnut Creek WWTP Tertiary Filter Rehabilitation 17,912,197

Jan-15 Justin Lane from Burnet to Lamar 5,929,985

Jan-15 Mains to Capitol Complex / AISD 3,508,800

Feb-15 Reznicek Field Water Quality Retrofit 626,000

Feb-15 Landside Roadway Improvements 2,970,000

Feb-15 Barton Creek Upper Pond retrofit 806,000

Feb-15 Dynamic Parking System 275,000

Feb-15 Ullrich Hydraulic & Energy Efficiency Improvements 4,000,000

Feb-15 Plaza Saltillo Water Rehab Phase 2 2,417,170

Mar-15 Mounted Patrol Facilities 2,667,331

Mar-15 Davis WTP Power Distribution Upgrade 24,137,641

Mar-15 Austin Shelter for Women and Children Renovation and Expansion 3,420,000

Mar-15 Onion Creek WWTP Demolition 350,000

Mar-15 Colorado St. Reconstruction and Utility Adjustments from 7th St to 10th St 5,700,000

Mar-15 Shaw Lane Drill Field & Tower Repair - Renovation 734,140

Mar-15 Pleasant Valley Drill tower repairs & renovation 527,120

Mar-15 Pleasant Hill Branch Library Roof Replacement and HVAC Upgrade 280,000

Mar-15 Waters Park Relief Main 4,900,000

Apr-15 Williamson Maple Run BSZ WQ Retrofits 516,000

Apr-15 Montopolis WRI Tank 8,370,000

Apr-15 Austin [re] Manufacturing Hub 5,579,412

Apr-15 Zaragoza Warehouse Fire Sprinkler Upgrade 379,000

May-15 Betty Dunkerley Campus Infrastructure Improvements 2,226,000

May-15 Milwood Branch Library Renovation 446,000

May-15 University Hills Branch Library Parking Lot Expansion 462,000

May-15 Renovation of Will Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill 597,000

May-15 Maintenance Complex Renovations - Bldg. 8220 2,100,000

May-15 Little Walnut Creek - Creek flood hazard reduction from Metric to Rutland 8,460,000

Jun-15 Upper Level Embankment Inspections and Repairs 3,388,000

Jun-15 Parmer Lane Interceptor 26,775,000

Jun-15 Walnut Creek Pumping System Improvements 4,020,000

Jul-15 Waller Creek District - Sabine St. Promenade 2,520,000

Jul-15 Old Lampasas #3 2,500,000

Jul-15 Barton Springs - Sunken Garden Imps Phase 1 228,000

Aug-15 Mopac Access and Corridor Improvements - Pressler Street 6,150,000

Aug-15 Dove Springs District Park - Recreation Center Expansion 1,137,730

Sep-15 Williamson Creek - Bitter Creek Tributary Channel Rehabilitation 2,016,000

Sep-15 Bowie Underpass 4,410,000

Sep-15 Springdale/290 Improvements 6,500,000

Sep-15 Main to Junction 420 (Downtown Area) 3,934,555

Oct-15 Slaughter - Old San Antonio Rd Low Water Crossing Upgrade 5,160,000

Oct-15 Walnut Creek WWTP Secondary Process Improvements 7,840,000

Oct-15 Lindshire LS Relief 1,000,000

Oct-15 Govalle Flow Diversion 4,734,000

Oct-15 SAR WWTP Trains A&B Blower Replacement 14,557,904

WHEN TO BID OR NOT BID A PROJECT? The decision to bid or not bid a project is often times one of the greatest dilemmas a contractor faces following an inquiry to bid. Often times, the immediate temptation is to bid on most projects that become available in order to keep work coming in and avoid idle production. Yet the decision to bid on a construction project which is not suitable for a particular company can have costly ramifications not only financially, but could just as well damage the future credibility of the company. Often times, passing up on the opportunity to bid on a project is the best decision a builder can make. How then, does a contractor faced with this dilemma make an informed decision whether to bid the job? While there is no clear cut answer to this question, the builder should consider the following after receiving the bidding documents and reviewing the project:

Competition: •Who else is likely to bid this job? •How many bidder will there be? •Are the bidders equal, or are they smaller contractors with lower overhead?

Nature of the job: •Is the firm capable of building the project? •Has the company done any similar work in the past? •Do the firm’s superintendents and project managers have the right kind of experience to handle the job?

Market conditions: •Is the job extended over a long period? •Will there be many unknown factors such as labor rates, material prices, or other prevailing economic conditions which may upset the project?

Firm’s previous experience with the owner or architect: •Has the company done any work with them in the past? •Has the relationship been satisfactory? •Are they a good client or a good architect? •Would it be prudent to work for them again? •Is the company obliged to submit a bid due to this past relationship?

Cost to prepare a proposal: •Does the probability of getting the job warrant the cost of preparing the proposal? •What are the chances of winning the job at a reasonable profit? All of these factors should be considered in a logical way in order to reach a decision to bid or not bid a job. It is also important that the contractor pursue this thinking as early as possible and reach a firm decision in order to allow as much time as possible for the estimating staff to prepare an accurate bid. Good planning and sound decision making during the bidding process can make the difference between a successful project and an unsuccessful one, but the deci-sion to bid or not bid a project is the most important factor in the success of a business. Source: Google

PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Opening Solicitation No. Description Buyer

2/23/15 B1501-001-LD Guardrail and Bridgerail Loren Breland 2:00 PM Installation, Removal and (512) 854-4854 Replacement 02/12/15 10:00 AM An Optional Pre-Bid Conference will be held at the Travis County Purchasing Office,

700 Lavaca, 8th Floor, Austin Texas 78701 2/25/15 B1501-011-JW Lake Oak Estates Substandard Jason Walker 2:00 PM Road Improvements Project (512) 854-4562 02/11/15 10:00 AM A MANDATORY Pre-Bid Conference will be held at the Travis County Purchasing Office,

700 Lavaca, 8th Floor, Austin Texas 78701

3/9/15 B1506-006-LD Topdressing Material for Loren Breland 3:00 PM Athletic Fields (512) 854-4854 2/18/15 B1501-005-JE Building 170 Roof Replacement John Pena At Travis County Correctional Complex (TCCC) (512) 854-9515 02/04/15 1:00 PM An Optional Pre-Bid Conference will be Held at Travis County Correctional Complex, 3614 Bill Price Road, Del Valle, TX 78617 3/4/15 B1501-010-JE Travis County Correctional Complex John Pena 2:00 PM Water Softeners Replacement (512) 854-9515 02/18/15 9:00 AM An Optional Pre-Bid Conference will be held at the Travis County Correctional Complex 3614 Bill Price Road, Del Valle, TX 78617 3/11/15 B1502-001-JE Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice John Pena 2:00 PM Center 2nd Floor Remodel (512) 854-9515 02/25/15 10:00 AM An Optional Pre-Bid Conference will be held at the Travis County, 700 Lavaca Street, 2nd Floor, Room 2.109 (Barbara Jordan Room), Austin, TX 78701

Bid Proposal Invitation The University of Texas at Austin Belo Center for New Media UT Moody Pedes-trian Bridge Bid Package #3 BID DATE: BID DATE: Thursday, March 5, 2015Thursday, March 5, 2015 TIME: 02:00 PM CT TIME: 02:00 PM CT PROJECT CONTACT: PROJECT CONTACT: Chris Moyes, cmoyes@flintco.com or Sarah Nario, Chris Moyes, cmoyes@flintco.com or Sarah Nario, snario@flintco.comsnario@flintco.com DESCRIPTION Flintco, LLC (CM@Risk) is soliciting proposals from Subcontractors and Suppliers for the Belo Center for New Media: UT Moody Pedestrian Bridge (New Bridge) Bid Package #3.

The package includes Traffic Control, Project Maintenance/Access, Concrete, Masonry, Structural Steel Fabrication, Structural Steel Erec-tion, SST Guardrails, Specialty Metals, Waterproofing, Curtain Wall Glazing, Painting, Signage, Plumbing, Electrical, Security and Land-scaping.

Flintco, LLC is an EEO Employer and all HUB Subcontractors are en-couraged to bid. Bids are due 3/5/15 @ 2:00pm at Flintco’s office at 8100 Cross Park, Austin, Texas 78754. A strongly encouraged Pre-proposal/HUB Mixer conference and site visit will be held on 2/19/15 at 2:00pm in UT CMA Building in Room 3.120, 2504 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712.

Please contact Chris Moyes at cmoyes@flintco.com; (512) 848-2890 or Sarah Nario at snario@flintco.com; (512) 822-7395 or Fax: (866) 605-7784 regarding any questions. Documents will be available via SmartBidNet.com, AGC, Austin Black Contractors, Builder’s Exchange, City of Austin Plan Room, Dodge and CMD.

2015 — Get MBE/WBE/DBE/HUB CERTIFIED!

MBE/WBE/DBE/HUB Certifications do not guarantee your company a contract from the city, county, state, federal governments or the private sector. You still have to market your company to each individual entity you desire to do business with. To help you market your company to these entities, contact the following certifying agencies and get on their bidder’s list for construction and construction related opportunities:

City of Austin MBE/WBE/DBE Certification Small & Minority Business Resources Department 4201 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Austin, Texas 78721 Contact: Elton Price, Manager, Certification Division 512-974-7645

South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency 301 South Frio, Suite 310, San Antonio, TX 210-227-4722

-State of Texas - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Statewide HUB Program HUB Certification 1711 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX Contact: 512-475-2414

Other Certifying Agencies that serves the State of Texas North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency 624 Six Flags Drive, Suite 216, Arlington, TX Contact: 817-640-0606

TXDot (Texas Department of Transportation) Business Opportunity Programs Section 125 East 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701 Contact: 512-486-5050

Note: Travis County and the Lower Colorado River Authority accepts MBE/WBE Certifica-tions from the City of Austin and HUB Certifi-cation from the Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts State-wide HUB Program. Capital Metropolitan Transportation Author-ity accepts DBE Certifi-cation from the City of Austin Small and Minor-ity Business Resources Department.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

Project Name: (MHD) Moore-Hill Dormitory Maintenance & Interior Finishes Solicitation #: 15CSP011 Pre-Proposal Conf.: February 23, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at 1301 E. Dean Keeton Road, FC1, Training Room 1.118B & C, Austin, Texas

General Construction Budget: $3,600,000.00 to $4,080,000.00 Envelopes No. 1 is due March 16, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.

Project Summary: Selective demolition, masonry partitions, doors and frames, door hard-ware, metal studs and gypsum wall board partitions, Portland cement plastering, acoustical panel and gypsum wall board ceilings, carpet, resilient floor tile and accessories, tiling, visual display surfaces, toilet and bath accessories, toilet compartments, horizontal louver blinds, stone countertops, fire suppression systems, plumbing, HVAC, alarms, and electrical. Project Name: (BRK) HVAC and Building Renovations (Phase 11) Solicitation #: 15CSP012 Pre-Proposal Conf.: February 20, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at 1301 E. Dean Keeton Road, FC1,Training Room 1.118B , Austin, Texas

General Construction Budget: $1,000,000.00 to $1,200,000.00 Envelopes No. 1 is due March 10, 2015 at 11:30 a.m.

Project Summary: Selective demolition, cast-in-place concrete, cutting and patching, metal framing, sheathing, asphalt shingles, siding, gutters and downspouts, steel doors and frames, hinged wood-framed glass doors, aluminum windows, door hardware, interior gypsum board assemblies, resilient flooring and base, ceramic tile, painting, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and interior architectural woodwork.

The Austin Area Black Contractors Association is reaching out to all

African American Construction Contractors located in

Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop and Caldwell Counties to get MBE/WBE/DBE Certified with the City of Austin.

For More Information, Call 512-467-6894

The Austin Area Black Contractors Association

Contractor’s Tool Box Tips Sheet Guide and the February edition of the Newspoints newsletter is now available on-line for you

review at www.abcatx.com

City of Austin Small and Minority Business Resources Department (SMBR)

512-974-7600 MANAGEMENT TEAM

Veronica Briseño Lara, Director Debra Dibble, Assistant Director Thomas Owens, Resource Services Div Mgr Elton Price, Certification Division Manager Tamela Saldana, Compliance Division Manager Kristi Samilpa, Business Process Consultant Genia Browder, Plans Room Coordinator Angela Hill, Executive Assistant

Nothing is more important than once you have identified a potential bid opportunity is to pursue it

aggressively and set-up a contracting infrastructure to . . . □ Get the plans and specs or CDs ASAP □ Request a copy of the plan holder’s list □ Attend the pre bid/proposal conference, (request a copy of the sign-in sheet); and market your service (s) with a company profile resume, brochure or business card □ Request copies of the pre bid conference sign-in sheet □ Follow-up on contacts □ Study the plans and specs □ Decide what you're going to bid □ Give the plans and specs to your estimator □ Analyze and understand your estimate □ Read, follow and understand the bid packet instructions and Requirements □ Develop an internal bid checklist to verify that all bid documents are included in your bid package, i.e...addendum, amendments, forms, documents, and bid bond □ Have at least two company contract personnel to check and verify that all bid documents, forms, addendum, amendments, bid bond are included in your bid submittal. Check with owner to verify if all addendum or amendments have been received □ Contact potential prime bidders if you're bidding as a sub □ Bid with as many prime bidders as possible □ Follow up with prime bidders to find out whether or not your bid was used; and if not, reason why ! □ Utilize information and experience gained to bid future projects Source: DAS Program, Construction Mgmt Training Session

SELECTED “RED FLAG” INDICATORS OF KICKBACKS

In kickback schemes, a contractor or subcontractor misrepresents the cost of performing work by secretly paying a fee for being

awarded the contract and therefore inflating the job cost to the government.

Unexplained or unreasonable limitations on the number of potential subcontractors contracted for bid or offer Continuing awards to subcontractors with poor performance records Non award of subcontract to lowest bidder “No-value-added” technical specifications that dictate contract awards to particular companies Non-qualified and/or unlicensed subcontractors working on prime contracts Poor or no established contractor procedures for awarding of subcontracts through competition Kickback amount is passed on to the Government Lack of separation of duties between purchasing, receiving, and storing Purchasing employees maintaining a standard of living exceeding their income

Because they will give Doesn’t mean you

should take . . .

Recognize and Report Fraud in

Federally Funded Pro-grams, Contracts and

Grants to

800-424-9071

US Dept of Transportation Office of

Inspector General

Local Plan Room Sites

To View & Check-out Plans & Specifications

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) 9205 Dean Keeton St. Austin, Texas 78705 website: www.uscha-austin.com 512-922-0507 (cell)

Tool Tip: Understanding Your Insurance Coverage

Insurance does not cover everything that happens during a construction project. For example, recent court opinions have held that Insurance policies do not cover damage to your own work, but does cover damage caused by your work. So if you are the plumber, your policy will not replace poorly installed plumbing, but should cover anything damaged by the poorly installed plumbing. The only way you will know for sure is to review the terms of your actual Insurance policy

Source: Leonard Woods Board Certified

Round Rock Independent School Bid Opportunity Information

Bid Number: CA15-071 Bid Title: CSP-Deerpark Middle School Roof Replacement Bid Notes: Round Rock Independent School District is announcing the release of the following Request for Proposal (RFP):<p><b>Deerpark Middle School Roof Replacement</b></p> The RFP documents are available electronically through the eROC system.<p> Proposal responses will only be accepted in hard copy per the requirements set forth within the RFP. <p><font color=#ff0000">Please do not submit your response electronically. Electronic responses will not be accepted.</font color="FF0000"><p>All interested vendors are encouraged to read thoroughly the RFP to ensure that all required documentation is included in their Pro-posal response. Failure to provide all required documentation may be grounds for rejection of the response. <p><B>Construction documents may be obtained at Amtech Building Sciences, Attn: Robert Alford, 1710 S Dairy Ashford, Suite 103, Houston, Texas 77077, Phone: 713-266-4829, Fax: 713-266-4977, for a refundable deposit of $100.00

Issue Date: 1/28/2015 8:15:00 AM Central Close Date: 2/24/2015 2:00:00 PM Central

Bid Number: CA15-086 Bid Title: CSP-ROBERTSON ES ROOF REPLACEMENT Bid Notes: Round Rock Independent School District is announcing the release of the following Request for Proposal (RFP):<p> <b>Robertson ES Roof Replacement</b></p> The RFP documents are available electronically through the eROC system.<p> Proposal responses will only be accepted in hard copy per the requirements set forth within the RFP. <p><font color=#ff0000">Please do not submit your response electronically. Electronic responses will not be accepted.</font color="FF0000"><p>All interested vendors are encouraged to read thoroughly the RFP to ensure that all required documentation is included in their Pro-posal response. Failure to provide all required documentation may be grounds for rejection of the response. <p> <B>Construction documents may be obtained at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Attn: Paul Hise, 9511 N. Lake Creek Parkway, Austin, Texas 78717, Phone: 512-257-4800, Fax: 512-219-9883, for a refundable deposit of $50.00

Issue Date: 1/28/2015 4:02:00 PM Central Close Date: 2/24/2015 2:00:00 PM Central

SMBR’s PLAN ROOM The City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources Plan Room is open for business weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. SMBR’s Plan Room provides free electronic access to the McGraw-Hill Dodge system of drawings and construction specifications for pro-jects in 100 counties in South and Central Texas as well as hard copy plans and specifications from local, private, and public sector jobs that can be viewed onsite or copied for a minimal fee. For a list of the cur-rent available Plans and Specifications, you can access it on our web-site at www.austintexas.gov/smbr or visit this link https://data.austintexas.gov/Business/Construction-Plans-in-SMBR-s-Plan-Room/x442-h34c or for questions or to schedule a training as a first time user — please call Genia Browder, Plans Room Coordina-tor at 512- 974-7799.

Green Water Redevelopment: Street Phase 2 Pre-Bid Conference

The Beck Group is currently pricing for Street Phase 2 for the Green Water Redevelopment Project. Beck

is holding a Pre-Bid conference on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at Carver Branch Library 1161 Angelina St., Austin, Texas from 10:30 AM CST till 11:30 AM CST. The purpose of the Pre-Bid meet-ing is to understand the bid process, ask questions about the project or plans, and to meet M/WBE companies that are currently registered with the City of Austin. This is an opportunity for all interested bidders to meet and exchange company information for the purpose of meeting or exceeding the M/WBE goals set for the project. Each bidder will be held responsible for any information provided during the Pre-Bid Con-ference. Attendance is strongly encouraged. Project: Green Water Block Redevelopment: Street Phase 2 Project Location: 500 West 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701 Pre-Bid Conference: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 @ 10:30 AM Carver Branch Library 1161 Angelina St., Austin ,TX: Rm #1 Bid Deadline: Thursday, February 26, 2015 @ 2:00pm CST

Bid Package #2 will include the following scopes of work:

For questions, please contact Carter Vecera (512) 997-5003 or by email at CarterVecera@beckgroup.com. Bid documents may also be reviewed from the following plan rooms: Austin Black Contractors Association (ABCA) U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin Asian Contractor Association City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources Office (SMBR) Bid Documents are available on Box.com at https://beck.box.comsv88ozlv4cc82z25dau2b Please hand deliver sealed bids to (Beck Office, 1108 Lavaca St, STE 520, Austin, TX 78701) to the attention of Carter Vecera.

Surveying Svcs Site Work Hauling PVC Pipe Supplier

Irrigation Systems Sidewalks Paving Curb & Gutter

Bus Stop Benches Landscaping Ready Mix Concrete Paver Block Instal-

lation

Reinforcing Mesh Rebar Concrete Curing

Mixtures Concrete Sawing

Sand (Mason & Mortar)

Signage

STR CONSTRUCTORS, LTD. WE ARE SOLICITING MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, AND HISTORICALLY UNDER-

UTILIZED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECT:

BID DATE: February 26, 2015 @ 2pm PROJECT: Burnet CISD: Stadium, Track, & Field Improvement OWNER: Burnet Consolidated Independent School District ENGINEER: SET Engineers, Inc. PLAN INFO: Plans can be viewed at the office of STR Constructors, Ltd. and local plan rooms. Please email a request to

STR@strconstructors.com to receive an ISQFT email invitation to access plans and specs online.

PLEASE FAX BIDS TO OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW: Fax: (512) 515-0534

PLEASE EMAIL BIDS TO OUR OFFICE AT THE ADDRESS BELOW: Email: STR@STRConstructors.com

We are a General Contractor bidding on this project.

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevita-bility, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

PROJECT: Visa Global IT Center Bid Package: 1st Floor Café BID DATE: Thursday, February 26, 2015, 2:00PM DPR CONTACT:Matthew Lockwood, Preconstruction Manager (MatthewLo@dpr.com)

INVITATION TO BID/PROPOSE: DPR Construction is requesting bids/proposals for certain work components related to the interior finish of a new 17,000 SF Café and Fitness area for the Visa Global IT Center project located at Research Park Plaza III, in Austin, Texas.

A Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting will be held on February 17, 2015, 11:00 AM (CST) and February 19, 2015 11:00AM (CST) at 12301 Research Blvd. (2nd Floor of Building 4), Austin, TX 78759.

Bids/Proposals are due on or before Thursday February 26, 2015 2:00pm (CST). Bid/proposals may be submitted via e-mail to DPR Preconstruction Manager Matthew Lockwood at MathewLo@dpr.com; via fax at 512-684-0069; or via hand-delivered envelope to DPR’s Austin Office, located at 9606 Mopac Expressway, Suite 300. Bids/proposals will be opened by the Owner’s representative at DPR’s offices on bid day, and results will be made public after bid award. Please direct all questions about the bids/proposals and project scope to DPR Construction, Matthew Lockwood.

Project Description: Scope includes tenant improvements for 17,000 SF of space, which includes mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, telephone and data cabling, casework, ceramic tile, audio visual, appliances, carpet and paint.

Trades:

Plan Availability: Plans will be available at DPR’s Austin office, 9606 MoPac Expressway N., Suite 300 Austin, TX 78759. DPR also has file sharing site for contractors interested in electronic documents. Please contact DPR Construction for additional information, 512-345-7699 or contact Matthew Lockwood directly at MatthewLo@dpr.com.

Flooring Painting Casework Doors, Frames & Hardware Ceramic Tile Wall Covering Mechanical Concrete

Electrical Plumbing Fire Alarm Fire Protection Audio Visual Telecommunications/Data Appliances Glass Utilities

Sabre Commercial Inc. is soliciting bid proposals from Minority and Women Owned Businesses (HUB

Subcontractors) for the following project:

Invitation to Bid the University of Texas at Austin –

Perry Castaneda Library Learning Commons Renovation (PCL)

Construction Document - GMP #2 Contract #15CMR001.0

SABRE COMMERCIAL is the awarded General Contractor. Job Description/Scope of Work: Remodel of existing staff Library Area to

create new Learning Labs, Conference Room, Group Study Area, Staff Offices and Writing Center. The work shall consist of misc steel, millwork, doors, glazing, drywall, painting, tile, flooring, projection screens, specialties, plumbing, HVAC,

electrical, fire alarm and fire sprinkler.

Walk Thru: Wednesday February 11th at 11:00am. Please meet at 2nd floor of PCL Library main lobby near elevators - closest garage parking - Brazos Ga-rage. Building is Southwest corner of 21st and Speedway.

Bid Due no later than: Monday February 23rd, 2015 at 2:00pm By email: ksimon@sabrecommercial.com or fax 512-767-7401

Project Specifications; 1. Addendum Questions: due Friday February 13th at noon 2. Schedule: Feb 2015 - August 2015 3. Tax exempt 4. Minimum wage scale applies - see specification 5. Project deliveries to be done before 7AM. 6. No parking will be available onsite. 7. Drawings can be downloaded from the Smart Bid website by going to

www.sabrecommercial.com clicking on “Subcontractors”, then clicking on “View Public Bid Schedule” and the job will have a link to click on. For more information call Kaley Simon @ 512-767-7418

NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

is soliciting qualifications for: Request For Qualifications, (RFQ) No. 906-15015RW for qualifications from a highly qualified firm to provide Archi-tectural, and Engineering Services for the ACC Highland Mall Campus, Phase 2. Qualifications must be submitted on or before Tuesday March 10, 2015, by 2 p.m. to the ACC Purchasing Department, 9101 Tuscany Way, Austin, TX 78754.

ACC is providing this notification to firms in an effort to increase partici-pation and expand our base of firms involved the RFQ process. Please check the ACC website frequently for any addenda that may be issued.

A mandatory pre-submittal meeting (for respondents) is scheduled for

February 23, 2015; 10am-12pm at the Highland Mall, Lower Level, Room 1390

(across from former Men’s Dillards)

RFQ packages will be available on 10 February 2015 on the ACC web-site at www.austincc.edu/purchase/advertisedbids.php and in the ACC Purchasing Office (512)223-1041 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. All qualifications submitted must be sealed and returned to the ACC Purchasing Office, ACC Service Center, 9101 Tuscany Way, Austin, Texas 78754, by the date and time indicated above. Electronically transmitted bids will NOT be accepted unless otherwise stated in the documents. Late submittals will be re-tained unopened.

The ACC Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids and waive all formalities in the solicitation process.

Rodney Wheeler Construction Buyer Austin Community College District - ACC Service Center 9101 Tuscany Way, Austin TX 78754 E: rwheeler@austincc.edu T: (512) 223-1056

Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Design Builder

is actively soliciting proposals from subcontractors for the construction of the

ABIA Terminal East Infill Project, CIP ID No. 5415.065

Proposal Package 2F consists of a Building Management Controls System

The Proposal Package is available by contacting our office, mentioned below.

Proposal selection will be on a best value basis.

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on

Thursday February 5, 2015,10:00AM in Room 160

Planning and Engineering Building 2716 Spirit of Texas Drive,

Austin, Texas 78719

Proposals will be accepted at our office, 8326 Cross Park Drive,

Austin, TX 78754 Thursday February 26, 2015 at 2:00 PM.

All City of Austin Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

are encouraged to submit proposals. The project’s DBE Goal = 8.65%.

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is available at (512) 834-9848 or fax (512) 834-9844.

Our company is an E.E.O. Employer.

We encourage and actively solicit proposals from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for all projects.

Prime Contractors • Trade Associations Agencies • Business Organizations

Your notices or announcements must be received no later than12 Noon on Wednesday by E-mail at: brc-pro@swbell.net in a Word Document. An-nouncements or notices will be published on a first come, first serve basis. Please Do Not Send PDF formatted announcements, notices, isqft, Grade Beam documents or tables. All will have to be converted to a Word document or we will NOT be able to publish. (These types of software are not compatible to the Bid Briefs’ publishing software). DAS further request that bid announcements or notices be submitted at least two weeks prior to closing date to give MBE/WBE/DBE/HUB firms sufficient time to review the project’s plans and specifications; and to prepare their bid responses. Fax Transmittals, PDF and isqft docu-ments and table formats will not be ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE ON-LINE BID BRIEFS. You may download Bid Briefs on Mondays to review or use. In order to continue to receive Bid Briefs, you may sign-up as a subscriber on abcatx.com website and click on the Bid Briefs’ link.

WHY CONTRACTORS FAIL AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

S ubcontractor default is a prob-lem that is neither understated nor under-reported. Everyone in the industry is familiar with it

and the consequences of the likely, yet always surprising, situation when a subcontractor goes into default on a project.

Starting in 2008, the construction econ-omy started to tank, and the industry experienced a wide number of subcon-tractor defaults. Now that the economy is recovering, it’s natural to think that defaults will be less common.

The unfortunate fact is that subcon-tractor default is three times more likely in this recovering period than it ever was in the economic downturn. Therefore, it is more important now than ever to review why subcontractors fail, and what everyone else should be doing about such failures.

Why Do Subcontractors Why Do Subcontractors Fail?Fail? Subcontractor failure is a clear problem, but there are options for companies to mitigate the risks of such failures. Un-derstanding why subcontractors fail can help fix the problem at the source, as opposed to focusing on too many failure symptoms.

Cash flow. The most basic expla-nation for subcontractor failure is that the business organization runs out of cash. There are many reasons for this; most notably, subcontractors are expected by many to float the project costs. They pay for all materials on terms, pay all laborers weekly, give up 10 percent of their reve-nue to retainage withholdings, and then wait for 30, 45, 60 days, or longer, after fronting the cash to get paid from the general contrac-tor or owner. These are unrealistic expectations for any company that is not flush with capital.

Lack of access to capital. Be-cause subcontracting is such a risky and cash-hungry business, it’s really difficult for these busi-nesses to get capital access from traditional banking sources. This is especially true in the recovering economy, where lenders are more reluctant to fund construction investments than ever. The result is that subcontractors lack any access to affordable capital. When they are pushed to get funding, they pay higher rates, putting them into a vicious cycle of inter-est payments and cash needs.

Tough work. The transaction is simple if you sell washing ma-chines. A buyer gives the seller money, and the seller gives the buyer a washing machine. The machine may have a flaw, but identifying the flaw and fixing it is pretty simple. Such is not the case with subcontracting. In that busi-ness, work is layered upon the work of tens or hundreds of other parties; the work itself must meet a subjective-type approval; and there are many things that can wrong on the jobsite that puts the subcontractor in a practical or legal cross-hairs. This all feeds into the aforementioned problems,

as this is yet another cause for height-ened cash needs.

Who Is Affected By Subcontractor Failure?

Everyone associated with a construction project is affected by a subcontractor failure. Those at the top of the chain (general contractors, developers and lenders) must absorb the loss, find another contractor to do the work, and deal with the inevitable payment and damages dispute. This likely causes project delay and additional expense. Other subcontractors on the job, al-though likely horizontal to the defaulting contractor, are affected because of the delay and expense caused to the job as a whole, becoming yet another thing that contributes toward the odds of their own failure. And finally, the suppliers and equipment providers are left hang-ing dry on their terms to the defaulting subcontractor.

Three Ways to Handle Three Ways to Handle Subcontractor FailureSubcontractor Failure

The failure of a subcontractor can be sudden and can cause vast problems. Therefore, the question is whether anything can be done about it. Here are the top three ways to protect against subcontractor failure.

1. Lien rights. Though this one doesn’t apply for those at the top of the chain (general contractors, owners and lend-ers), it is still the number one protection measure because of how enormously effective it is for all of the other affected parties. In fact, it is even effective for the defaulting subcontractor, as it can put it in the best position possible to claw its way out of a bankruptcy pro-ceeding. Lien rights protect a com-pany’s right to get paid for work, and more importantly, prevent companies from being placed into the back of a payment line. A subcontractor in the front of the payment line avoids cash problems, and is insulated from others defaulting on the project.

2. Surety bonds. Subcontractors can obtain performance bonds and payment bonds, and it’s common for general contractors, owners and lenders to require some subcontractors to acquire these bonds. When a subcontractor has these bonds, a default is less burden-some because the surety bond will compensate the affected parties for the losses.

3. Prequalification. Prequalification often is used by top-of-the-chain parties to assess the likelihood of failure by a lower-tiered party (i.e., a subcontractor). It also can be used by lower-tiered parties to assess the problems that might arise by higher-tiered parties. Everyone is affected by default and should do preliminary analysis to avoid the same. Examining the ability for a subcontractor to deal with the expected cash flow challenges is a necessary evil in today’s construction economy. Also, it serves everyone well to make sure the subcontractor is also taking measures to protect lien rights. If not, the subcon-tractor is going to be in the back of the payment line, and the result is a height-ened default risk.

Source: Scott Wolfe Jr., the CEO of Zlien, a software and services that helps building material supply and construction companies reduce their credit risk and default receivables through the management of mechan-ics lien and bond claim compliance.

Runway to Opportunities Doing Business with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Feb. 26, 2014

6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Hilton Austin Airport

Ballroom

9515 Hotel Dr.

Complimentary Parking

From construction to concessions, this event provides insight on how to do business with Austin’s airport.

Hosted by the City of Austin Departments of Aviation and Small & Minority Business Resources

For more information contact the City of Austin Small and Minority Business Resources Department at 512-974-7677.

Construction and Professional Services

Economic Opportunity Forum Hosted by UT System Office of HUB Development,

The University of Texas at Austin HUB/SB Program Office and The University of Texas at Austin

Project Management and Construction Services

Tuesday, March 10, 2015 1–5 PM

Inviting all Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) and Small Businesses (SBs), at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus, Commons Learning Center, Balcones Room (1.108), located at 10100 Burnet Road, Austin.

The forum will include a business-matchmaking session to allow HUB and SB vendors to present their company qualifi-cations to prime firms and University of Texas representa-tives for potential opportunities.

To participate in this forum and receive detailed registration information the website is www.utexas.edu/administration/hub/cpsf2015.html

If you have additional questions concerning this event, please contact Amy Nemetz, anemetz@utsystem.edu or Tiffany Dockery, tiffany.dockery@austin.utexas.edu.

SELECTED “RED FLAG” INDICATORS OF DISADVANTAGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE)

FRAUD

Under this scheme, a contractor misrepresents who performed the contract work in order to increase job profit while appearing to be incompliance with

contract goals for involvement of minority or women-owned businesses. DBE owner lacking background, expertise or equipment to perform subcontract work Employees shuttling back and forth between prime contractor and DBE owned business payrolls Business names on equipment and vehicles covered with paint or magnetic signs Orders and payment for necessary supplies made by individuals not employed by DBE owned business DBE owner never present at job site Prime contractor always uses the same DBE Financial agreements between prime and DBE contractors Joint bank accounts (Prime/DBE) Absence of written contracts

Are they really meeting all the contract goals?

Recognize and Report Fraud in

Federally Funded Programs, Contracts and

Grants to 800-424-9071

US Dept of Transportation

Office of Inspector General