Native American Cultural Center Project Implementation and Project

Board of Regents Meeting
August 5-6, 2010
Item #26
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Page 4 of 9
In an effort to demonstrate the university’s commitment to responsible,
sustainable design and in response to the Governor’s mandate that facilities be
designed in a sustainable manner, this project will incorporate sustainable
materials and practices wherever possible. As a reflection of the NAU goal, this
project is intended to receive a United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification.
There is no backfill plan associated with this project. The Counseling programs
are being permanently relocated, in August 2011, into the new Health and
Learning Center project currently under construction. Counseling staff will be
temporarily relocated to allow demolition of Counseling and until construction is
completed on Health and Learning. The space in the University Union currently
occupied by Native American Support Services (NASS) will be available for
expansion of other student service programs that currently share space with
NASS.
Project Delivery Method and Process:
This project is being delivered through the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR)
method. This approach was selected because it can save time through fast-track
project scheduling, it provides contractor design input and coordination throughout
the project, it improves potentially adversarial project environments, and it allows
for the selection of the most qualified contractor team for each individual
component of the project. With the use of two independent estimates at each
phase, and low bid subcontractor work for the actual construction, this method also
provides a high level of cost and quality control.
The CMAR was selected through the capital project selection committee process
prescribed by the ABOR Procurement Code. The university received twenty (20)
responses to the project RFQ and four (4) of the responding teams were shortlisted
for interview. A licensed contractor from the community was included on
the selection committee as required by ABOR policy, as was an architect.
The design team was selected through a similar ABOR process, and five (5)
teams were interviewed out of the twenty-nine (29) RFQ responses received.
Project Management: The primary members of the project staffing plan include
one (1) senior Facilities, Design and Construction member from the University of
Arizona, the NAU Manager of Planning and Design, the NAU Manager of
Construction, and a NAU project manager.