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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 11, 2010

4 Isle firms part of $4B Marine project


By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Four companies with Hawai'i ties are among a group that would compete for up to $4 billion in construction projects that are primarily targeted to building up Guam base capacity for the planned move of 8,000 Marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam, officials said.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific yesterday said it had awarded the contract to seven companies for anticipated construction mostly on Guam but also including other possible areas in the Pacific.

It's the largest contract ever awarded by the command. The seven companies are: CNMS, a Joint Venture, Honolulu; Core Tech-AMEC-SKEC LLC, Honolulu; DCK-ECC Pacific Guam LLC, Clairton, Pa.; Guam MACC Builders JV, Honolulu; Hensel Phelps-Granite-Traylor Pacific JV, Greeley, Colo.; Kiewit-Mortenson Joint Venture, Kapolei; and Tutor Perini Corporation, Sylmar, Calif.

"This is certainly a major milestone," said Naval Facilities Vice Commander Capt. Paul Fuligni. "We are very pleased to announce this contract award in support of the Guam military relocation."

Pearl Imada Iboshi, deputy director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, said it's wonderful that several Hawai'i-based companies have been selected for the very substantial contract.

"While it is difficult to know at this time what the impact to Hawai'i's economy will be, hopefully, having Hawai'i-based companies selected as the main contractors will mean that other Hawai'i companies will be able to get subcontracts as part of these projects," she said.

In 2006, Japan and the U.S. agreed on the relocation of 8,000 Marines and 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam by 2014, with Japan providing about $6 billion of the $10.3 billion cost.

Japan's prime minister, who took office last September, has since struggled with a component of the agreement to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps base within Okinawa.

Don Rochon, a spokesman for the Pacific engineering command, yesterday said an environmental impact statement analysis of the Guam plan is in draft form and comments are being reviewed.

No contracts can be awarded until a "record of decision" is made, he said, but with the selection of the seven companies the contract vehicle is in place.

Individual construction task orders are expected to range between $15 million and $300 million, he said.

The engineering command said work will include new construction, renovation and additions to a variety of structures, including barracks, dormitories, administrative and other facilities, ranges, roads, bridges, waterfront-marine facilities and piers.

Aviation facilities, including hangars, runways and aprons, are also included in the work scope.