ARRA funded dormitory contstruction at Shaw Published Oct. 13, 2009 By Susan Brink NAVFAC Southeast Public Affairs JACKSONVILLE, FL. -- Another new dormitory for Shaw's Airmen moved forward recently as Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded Choate Construction Company of Mount Pleasant, S.C., an $11.5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contract Sept. 22 for construction of a dormitory here. "We're eager to get started on the construction of the new dormitory," said Col. Ted Uchida, 20th Mission Support Group commander. "With the effort and man hours our Airmen are dedicating to the mission of the 20th Fighter Wing both here and deployed, they deserve the best accommodations we can provide - a place they can relax and feel at home." The contract calls for the construction of a new 144-room, multi-story dormitory at Shaw. The new structure will consist of reinforced concrete foundation and slab floors, a structural steel frame, exterior walls of split face concrete masonry unit veneer over gypsum sheathing and metal stud backup, a pre-finished standing seam roof system installed over rigid insulation on structural metal deck and metal roof framing, communication and fire protection systems, and all supporting utilities. Heating and cooling for the new dormitory building will be provided by packaged water cooled heat pumps, a geothermal vertically drilled earth heat exchanger system will provide the heat sink/source for the heat pump system Included in the contract is the demolition of two existing dormitories, hazardous material work includes removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials. Site work for this project consists of parking, sidewalks, access drives and landscaping. The expected completion date for work under this contract is June 2011. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects are intended to modernize Department of Defense shore infrastructure, enhance America's energy independence and sustain a steady and robust military force for decades. Contract vehicles for projects will include stand alone competitive contracts, competitive Multiple Award Contracts, competitive 8(a) and non-competitive 8(a) procurements as authorized under the Small Business Act. Contractors interested in participating in this work should closely monitor the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site at www.neco.navy.mil, which automatically posts on the FedBizOpps Web site.