City moving to accelerate tendering in 2024, 2025
The City of Winnipeg Public Works department is working on internal processes to speed up the tendering of construction projects for 2024 and 2025, the MHCA Board of Directors heard March 20.
The steps result from discussions with the MHCA, following the release of the 2024 tender ad schedule from Public Works mid-February. It indicated a lag in tendering, with 50% of the program value estimated to be awarded between May and end of July.
At a meeting March 13 with the department, Mayor’s Office, Coun. Janice Lukes, Chair of the Public Works Committee, and Coun. Markus Chambers, Public Works officials noted the award process may take longer than estimated.
Out of the meeting, the City committed to accelerating the tendering and award processes by:
- raising the CAO’s authority to approve projects, without approval of Council
- speeding up the tendering process after a project has been returned from engineering design
- shift in late 2024 to RFQs to create a list of pre-approved design engineering firms, to allow the use of qualification-based selection in assigning contracts
Coun. Lukes has committed to follow-up with the department, for further discussions with MHCA. The delay to tendering was also raised at a meeting MHCA had with Mayor Scott Gillingham March 7.
The Board of Directors was told similar discussions are being held between MHCA and Manitoba Transportation & Infrastructure, which released March 1st its spring update to the 2024 tender ad schedule for highways construction and water structures. There were few projects listed, most of which have been on previous editions of the schedule.
A meeting March 22 with the Deputy Minister and senior staff will address possible ways to accelerate the tendering, MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc said.
The Board was also told the City of Winnipeg to date has released three construction tenders that include pilot social procurement clauses – requirements to hire individuals from ‘equity’ groups. The City will use data and experience of those contractors awarded contracts to refine the procurement rules.
The three tenders were for a park drinking water station, a water main renewal and the Renfrew outfall gate chamber upgrade. You can view the tenders here.
MHCA plans to gather comments from industry members who bid or are awarded construction contracts, to provide input to the City on refining the social procurement action plan.
Other items discussed at the Board of Directors meeting included:
- MHCA is discussing with provincial offices Bill 7, which repeals the former government’s ban on using project labour agreements and imposing union conditions on public infrastructure projects. The NDP government intends to use PLAs in large infrastructure projects
- Senior MTI officials attending the ‘program review’ meeting February 14 with MHCA indicated they expect the full $557-million highways capital program for 2023 will be expended
- the department is considering moving to a point-award system for large, complex construction projects; the lowest bid price is expected to be a large component of the award, which will include work plan, work team experience and indigenous involvement
- MTI Minister Lisa Naylor has directed MTI to comply with prompt payment rules, embedded now within the Builders Liens Act. The regulations attached to the Act have yet to be introduced.
- MHCA is seeking interested members to join the WORKSAFELY® Advisory Committee. The Committee is looking for members from a variety of members, small and large. Interested individuals can contact WORKSAFELY® Director Jacquelyn Oduro at Jacquelyn@mhca.mb.ca
- President & CEO Chris Lorenc has been appointed to a WCB selection committee that will recommend who the WCB’s next president should be
- tickets are still available, along with sponsorship opportunities, for the April 3 MHCA Chair’s Reception. Premier Wab Kinew and Mayor Scott Gillingham will be among the elected officials attending the reception. To order your tickets click here.
