MTI and MHCA meet, agree on priorities
The importance of timely advertising of construction tenders and the need to see full expenditure of the MTI budget for the highways and water-related programs were underscored at a December 8 meeting with the deputy minister of Manitoba Transportation and infrastructure.
“It was a productive meeting in that the department senior leadership is fully aware of the pressing issues for our industry and has committed to serious consideration, leading up to the next meeting which we expect in January,” MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc said.
MHCA representatives were joined by representatives of ACEC-MB in the meeting with Ryan Klos, deputy minister.
Among the topic areas discussed were:
- Budget set = budget tendered and awarded
- Establish spec review committee
- Lab correlation on materials testing
- Long-term budgeting
- Partnering initiative
- Annual program & directions review meeting
MHCA asked that by April of any given year that between 70-80% of approved highways capital program be advertised and tendered, with routine updates that identify any changes to the advertising plan and also quantify, in dollar, how much of the budget to date is tendered and how much is awarded.
“We need to move to a system that allows for early design engineering assignments to prepare tender ready projects so delays are all but eliminated,” Lorenc said. “This will support the goal of budget set = budget tendered and awarded.”
The MHCA also stressed the need to reduce the contract bid validity period from 90 to 30 days, for significant risk cost savings to the program and the industry.
