Three proponents shortlisted for Okanagan Correctional Centre will hear the news tomorrow – who gets to build the P3 project north of Oliver.
Three teams were selected to enter the Request for Proposal process to design, build, partially finance and maintain the Okanagan Correctional Centre project.
BC Community Partners
Brookfield-EllisDon-Fengate Justice Partners
Plenary Justice
were the three contractor groups selected in a final round of submissions received through a Request for Qualifications process.
The British Columbia government also signed a historic agreement with the Osoyoos Indian Band laying out the details of the land lease and utilities service for a 60-year period, plus an option for an additional 20.
Tedd Howard, Capital Projects, BC Corrections says one of three groups will be chosen in January and construction should begin in late March.
Howard says each of three proponents have had to spend a lot of money to make a bid and the two losing out will be re-imbursed to the tune of a 1/4 million dollars each by the BC Government.
The 378 unit building will contain 10 male groups of 36 (each grouping is separate and it is most likely that most inmates will only know who is in their group). There are 18 units for females. Some of the cells will house two inmates when demand for accommodation is high in the province.
Which ever bidding group wins will be building a 200 million dollar building in less than 2 years starting in 2014 and staff with inmates moving in late fall 2016.
The project at Senkulmen Business Park is P3 with the successful bidder responsible for a number of things for 30 years even though the life of the building is expected to be 6 decades.
The land is secured with a 10 million dollar lease with Osoyoos Indian Band for 60 years.
The P3 company will maintain the building – but what goes on inside with inmates is strictly BC government workers and contractors with agreements to supply food and medical/dental services.
Each proponent has sent in a 3000 page document for review to BC Corrections.
Originally 7 sites were being looked at in the Okanagan Valley but the proposal shown by the Osoyoos Indian Band was deemed the best pick with the support of First Nations landowners and local area politicians.
Howard says the building will not be tall and unlikely to be visible from the highway and will not attract much attention on Tucelnuit Drive.