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NAVFAC Hawaii Awards its First ARRA Contract

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090501-42
Release Date: 5/1/2009 5:01:00 PM

By James Johnson, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii awarded its first contract funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on April 24 to Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc., of Aiea, Hawaii for $10.6 million to repair wharf S1 at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

"I am very pleased the first American Recovery & Reinvestment Act project for the Navy in Hawaii will repair wharf Sierra 1, one of our historic submarine wharfs originally built in 1942," said Capt. Rick Kitchens, commanding officer, Naval Station Pearl Harbor. "This project and its $10.6 million economic impact would not have occurred for at least another year without the ARRA, possibly longer. Repairing this wharf will better support the growing submarine force at Pearl Harbor, which will increase by three submarines in 2009 alone."

The need for repairs and upgrades to the Sierra 1 wharf, which is currently used to berth submarines, was noted in the Underwater Facilities Inspection and Assessments report of August 2000, but the Navy was unable to find funding until the ARRA was signed. Left unrepaired, the deterioration would have negatively affected the Navy's ability to berth submarines at Pearl Harbor and could have potentially compromised the readiness of the fleet.

Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc. will make repairs to concrete support piles and superstructure, as well as the fender system that protects submarines while they are docked at the wharf. The work also includes installing an oil containment flotation device called a "Perma Boom."

"We are excited to receive this award because it will keep a large portion of our steady workforce employed and allow us to hire some other union workers as the project progresses," said Rick Heltzel, president of Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc. "Since this award is for a waterfront project we expect to purchase specialized materials from the mainland. However, local vendors such as our local concrete and precast pile producers will pick up quite a bit of the work, and we plan on hiring local subcontractors throughout the job."

The exact amount of the award was for a $10,629,904, firm fixed-price task order under a multiple award construction contract.

The Department of Defense received $7.4 billion from the ARRA, with $5.9 billion intended for construction and repair projects. NAVFAC Hawaii projects carried out with ARRA funds are intended to modernize Navy and Marine Corps shore infrastructure, enhance America's energy independence, and sustain a steady and robust maritime force for decades. ARRA funds will be spent as quickly as possible in order to help put local contractors to work.

For more news from Naval Facilities Engineering Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navfachq/.