Location Nespelem, WA
Client Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Services Project Management
Project Value $43 Million
In July 2013, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation’s (Tribes) Headquarters was lost due to fire. Built in 1975, the Tribal Headquarters was home to the Colville Business Council and the Tribes’ Executive Director, Land and Property Manager, Information Technology Office, and Elections Office. With plans already underway for a new facility, Hill provided project management consulting services for a fast-track project to deliver the new Lucy F. Covington Government Center on the Colville Reservation, two miles south of Nespelem.
Hill acted as the Tribes’ independent expert and provided complete project management support for contract administration and site observation during the design, pre-construction, construction, commissioning, and closeout phases. Hill also advised the Tribes during negotiations with the general contractor/construction manager (GC/CM) to establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) after completion of the design development documents and 30% construction documents.
Due to the fire, the Tribes fast-tracked the project, with construction not to exceed 710 days. Recognizing the project required a demolition phase before construction could begin, Hill also assisted the Tribes with managing the demolition of approximately 20 existing housing structures with an estimated 30,000 SF. By accelerating design packages for demolition, clearing and grubbing, grading, and foundation works, Hill helped compress the overall project schedule.
Additionally, Hill led a value engineering effort to reduce the projected cost to meet the original project budget. Hill also added value by guiding the project through the GC/CM delivery approach. In addition to advising the Tribes during GMP negotiations, this included facilitating contractor involvement during pre-construction and providing such services as estimating, scheduling, and phasing development. As part of Hill’s Native American Training Program, Hill employed a Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance-certified tribal member as a full-time site inspector.
