In the same venue where Wishard celebrated Marion County voters’ overwhelming 85-percent approval of new hospital facilities on November 3, 2009, project leaders offered a landslide of information to local building trades leaders on Tuesday as part of the pre-bid meeting for the construction bid package Wishard estimates to be the largest of the project in terms of components and opportunities it will create for businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities. Wishard held the pre-bid meeting for Bid Package 5 at the historic Madame Walker Theatre downtown, where a theater full of local contractors and building trades leaders gathered information about the opportunity-filled package. Project leaders answered questions and shared details of the recently released scopes and bid documents for Units 2-15 and Unit 18 of the package, which includes fit out of the new hospital, outpatient care building and central utility plant. Wishard plans execute the bidding for the remainder 41-unit Bid Package 5 over the course of the year.

"In this historic and important theatre just a few blocks down the street from Wishard and the site of The New Wishard, we celebrated the day the people of Marion County made possible a new Wishard," said Matthew Gutwein, president and CEO of Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County, which operates Wishard. "It's very appropriate that today, one day after one of America’s most important holidays – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – we meet to share information on this package, which holds the largest opportunity for minority-, women-, veteran- and persons with disabilities-owned businesses to work on The New Wishard."

The package features 15 individual scopes for sections of work in piping; plumbing; pneumatic tube system; kitchen equipment; fire protection; heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); site utilities; electrical; communications systems; temperature controls; and fire alarms for the hospital, outpatient care building, and central utility plant. 

"The New Wishard will be a quiet, clean, safe and welcoming hospital focused on patient comfort and care," said Dr. Lisa Harris, CEO and medical director of Wishard Health Services and a practicing physician and faculty member of the IU School of Medicine. "With respect to The New Wishard’s construction, these characteristics are rooted in fit out components such as ventilation, heating and air conditioning, electrical systems, piping and plumbing. These elements are critical to providing the highest quality care we can at Wishard, and the opportunities they will create for the local workforce serve to heighten the importance of this package." 

The New Wishard Diversity Team is working with the City of Indianapolis Department of Minority Women and Business Development (DMWBD) and held an outreach meeting for M/W/VBEs interested in opportunities to work on Bid Package 5 on January 14. Wishard plans to hold at least one more outreach event prior to the bid date. The outreach events provide an opportunity for interested parties to learn about the bid process, subcontracting opportunities and to ask questions of project leaders. 

"We are pleased to work with Wishard to maximize the opportunities for minority-, women- and veteran- and persons with disabilities-owned businesses on this package, a focus that is good for jobs and increasing the capacities and capabilities of our Indianapolis M/W/VBEs," said DMWBD Director Greg Wilson. "Wishard is meeting shared goals in construction contracting, and we look forward to continued outreach and achievement of project goals." 

Through December 21, Wishard construction contracts were ahead of the project goals of 15 percent MBE, 8 percent WBE and 3 percent VBE participation, with more than 31 percent of all construction contracts committed to M/W/VBEs. 

The bid date for the package is 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 17 at the Madame Walker Theatre. Wishard released the invitation to bid for the package on January 6. Wishard's project schedule calls for bidding Units 20-24 of Bid Package 5 within the next few months and the remaining units in the summer and fall.

The project to construct a new Wishard will create 4,400 jobs and will transform the landscape of health care in Indianapolis. 

Marion County voters approved construction of a new Wishard in the Nov. 3 election, with 85 percent support for the measure, and Wishard began work immediately. Wishard plans to complete the new facility at the end 2013. 

To learn more about the construction project, visit www.TheNewWishard.org. For more information about Wishard Health Services, visit www.Wishard.edu.

CONTACT: Todd Harper
Phone: 317.880.4785
Pager: 317.310.5972 
Email: todd.harper@eskenazihealth.edu