BART Board approves project team to build-out new headquarters with priority of small and minority-owned business involvement
The BART Board of Directors, at its June 25th meeting, voted to award a $58 million Progressive Design-Build contract to Turner Construction Company and RIM Architecture to design and build the new BART Headquarters at 2150 Webster Street in Oakland.
BART purchased the modest size building on December 10, 2019 to avoid a 60% rent increase and save at least $210 million in public funds over the 25-year period by owning.
The agency established an overall 30% participation goal for small businesses. Turner and RIM have committed to 32% participation. This contract is one of the first at the agency to include a liquidated damages provision should the contractor fail to meet its established small business commitment.
BART’s Office of Civil Rights through its Small Business Support Services Program offered extensive outreach and assistance to small, local businesses throughout the process including virtual matchmaking sessions held at the request of the District by each of the three pre-qualified proposers. Each pre-qualified proposer allocated a full 8 hours to participate in these virtual matchmaking sessions with small businesses.
“We are excited that the winning team has committed to exceed our small business participation goal”, says Maceo Wiggins, Director of BART’s Office of Civil Rights. “As we transition into project delivery, we’re focused on community engagement, creating opportunities for firms to work on our new headquarters, and providing support services to ensure success for firms working on the project. It’s important that we do our part to support Oakland and the regional economic recovery and this is a major project that can help us achieve that goal.”
Work under the contract will include, but not be limited to, furnishing, management coordination, professional services, labor, equipment, materials and other services to perform the design and construction of the new BART Headquarters.
The Design-Build Proposals for the work were received on May 5, 2020. A 9-person committee representing various groups throughout the District was formed to review the proposals and interview the three firms that qualified through the Request for Qualifications process. Today’s Board approval will become official after the protest period expires and contracts are finalized. We are projecting a Design-Build Kick- Off meeting in July.
The $142 million purchase of the building with closing costs and $85 million in interior construction has been financed by a 25-year sales tax bond.
The new BART Headquarters is 244,287 square feet accommodating 1,300 employees. BART is scheduled to move in Spring 2021.