The Calvo
Administration is headlining the first meeting of 2014 of the Guam Contractors
Association (GCA). The January Meeting
at the Westin Resort Guam will feature Guam Military Buildup Director Mark
Calvo and Guam International Airport Authority Executive Manager Chuck
Ada. Calvo will focus on military
construction projects earmarked for 2014 as outlined in the 2014 National
Defense Authorization Act while Ada will use his time to talk about 22 Capital
Improvement Projects that Guam's only civilian airport is rolling out over the
next few weeks.
This speaking event
comes at a time when the realization of limited funds in the coming years is
kicking in and promises of construction growth are not materializing. For Calvo and Ada, I am confident that they
will articulate the progress on the mass amounts of public works projects set
to hit the largest island in the Marianas Archipelago over the next 12
months. But I am not convinced that many
in the room will have the similar confidence that they will all be let by
December. It is an election year in Guam
and the political rhetoric is in high gear. Discussion of construction is an
election year tactic of showing progress and economic activity-only the
incumbent can enjoy the benefit of this with potential voters and the vast
number of donors that will be in the room.
The GCA is always a target rich environment and will be a strong voice
in this year's election.
Also, we are all
seeing lean times and project competition is heating up. With the Base Operations Support Contract in
its final option year and a new BOS contract being bid and couple that with
NAVFAC Marianas expected to rebid all the Multiple Award Construction Contracts
this summer and you have a recipe for many movements and teaming agreements to
grab the limited federal dollar. Gov
Guam will attract those wanting to do business with Gov Guam-the autonomous
agencies the only real money on the streets that will certainly pay on time.
The January 15, 2014
meeting is set for 11:30am local time and according to GCA President James Martinez,
"we wanted to start the new year on a positive note". Though it may not seem that GET, LLC is excited
about this particular monthly meeting of the GCA, we are cautiously optimistic
and look forward to listening in.