FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (Dec. 18, 2013) -- Highly motivated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Honolulu District staff supported military construction, transformation and initiatives on Hawaii Army posts that included opening a new barracks and continue construction of a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient barracks at Helemano Military Reservation, the new Warrior in Transition barracks and complex, ongoing-South Range Projects and Quad D renovations at Schofield Barracks, and the continuation and completion of Air Force projects, the Combat Aviation Brigade Phase 1 at Wheeler Army Airfield, and the Command and Control Facility at Fort Shafter.
In the face of national fiscal uncertainty and sequestration issues during 2013, the District remained committed to sustaining the high quality of service we offer our customers, partners, and stakeholders. The District Ohana demonstrated an unwavering willingness to work as a TEAM to deliver projects and services, focused on quality and timeliness as well as providing community outreach to the local and state like MATHCOUNTS competitions, the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Engineering Career Fair, the 2013 Earth Day at the Pacific Regional Visitor Center and participation in the annual Engineers Week.
Unique partnerships were initiated with our military Wounded Warriors and for professional development within the Engineer Regiment. The District also began a partnership with local, state, and federal agencies for the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative and also provided support for the Waikoloa FUDS Sandalwood Project Outreach Initiative.
In late January, the Corps welcomed home the eight-man, District-based 565th Engineer Detachment, Forward Engineer Support Team-Advance (FEST-A) with a Redeployment Ceremony at District Headquarters to mark the official end of their successful eight month deployment to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Seventy-two people eagerly crammed into a District conference room in early February to attend Safety and Health Training for Small Business Contractors. The free, four-hour training was geared primarily for small business contractors in Hawaii and provided guidance on how to write and execute effective Accident Prevention Plans (APP) for Corps construction contracts.
Leaders from the Honolulu District joined forces with U.S. Navy officials for a maile lei untying and blessing ceremony in March to officially open the Corps-renovated Building 22 at Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Pacific (NCTAMS-PAC) near Wahiawa. This project involved a major design-build renovation of historic Building 22 -- a building that houses the Naval Health Clinic Hawaii, Naval Branch Annex Wahiawa. The facility provides medical and dental services for the Navy community and other DOD personnel assigned to NCTAMS-PAC.
Throughout the year Honolulu District developed working relationships with two Wounded Warrior units: the Warrior Transition Battalion based at Schofield Barracks and the Marine Wounded Warrior Detachment based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe to help assist these organizations to transition Warriors and families from injury, illness, or disease to duty or veteran status. The District supports the Wounded Warrior programs by allowing service members to gain valuable work experience as volunteers as they transition back into either the military or civilian life. Participants are interviewed to determine their interest in the various career fields within the District organization.
More than 80 Corps of Engineers general contractors and District engineers attended a safety conference in mid-August sponsored by the District's Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks Area Offices in the Schofield Barracks post conference room. The annual event was held to promote job site safety awareness and provide a venue to discuss best safety practices being used on Corps project sites.
In late October officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, and Absher Construction opened a new $35.3 million barracks on Montague Street that will house Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 25th Infantry Division (25th ID) and the 2nd Brigade.
The District completed a successful fiscal year 2013, during which 513 contract actions were awarded totaling $196,347,764.00. Although the total was far less than previous years, the District awarded $114.9 million or 59.6% of its total FY13 new contract and task order dollars to small businesses, which exceeded the yearly Corps of Engineers small business contract award goal of 43.3%.
Throughout 2013, the District consulted with local government agencies in American Samoa, Kwajalein in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau about potential studies and projects in their respective areas.
District contract actions signify the Corps' commitment to provide high-quality facilities to the armed forces and to protect and improve the lives of the people of Hawaii and the region.
Honolulu District is responsible for major military design and construction, civil works, international and interagency support, real estate services to the Army and Air Force, regulatory work, environmental services and emergency management.
Major military construction contracts awarded in 2013:
•$10.165 million for the renovation of the Aloha Center, Building 690, Schofield Barracks
•$7.96 Million for the Repair of Castner Substation, Schofield Barracks
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