91视频

Two items on Metro Council’s consent agenda Thursday afternoon will kick-start work on the Oregon Zoo‘s new elephant habitat. One resolution will allow the regional government’s chief operating officer to begin procuring a contractor for the project, which has an estimated cost of the project is $54 million, including design and construction. That is approximately half of the remaining funds from the zoo’s bond measure.

The other resolution will allow the government to use the Construction Manager/General Contractor method of procurement on the project. Utilization of the CM/GC method will mean that there will not be a standard competitive bidding process for the project, but that a contractor will be selected on specific qualifications to begin work during the design phase of the project and later sign a separate contract for the construction phase.

The CM/GC procurement method was chosen after a recommendation by consulting firm Pinnell/Busch, which recommended the use of CM/GC because of the highly specialized constructions methods required for the project, the 鈥渟ensitive and dangerous occupants,鈥� and the widespread access to nearby exhibits, which will be open and continually operating during construction. This will be the first CM/GC project undertaken at the Oregon Zoo.