Hawaii-based companies have been awarded work in the Pacific islands as part of other contracts.
Meanwhile, there is no movement on a military housing request for information that attracted notable attention last year.
Helber Hastert & Fee Planners Inc. of Honolulu was awarded a $49.5 million indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract for multi-discipline architectural-engineering projects “primarily in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas,” according to a May 29 release from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Work will be performed in Guam, 20%; Micronesia, 10%; and Diego Garcia, 1%; as well as Hawaii, 25%, Japan, 20%; the Philippines, 10%; Australia, 10%; Korea, 3%; and Singapore, 1%; with an expected completion date of May 2030. The award was made by Naval Facilities and Engineering Systems Command — a command within NAVFAC Pacific.
“Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction and operation and maintenance funds,” the release said.
Helber Hastert was previously awarded a similar contract in 2023, according to Journal files. Established in 1980, the company has public and private sector clients for fields that include master, urban and regional plans; site analysis and selection studies; facilities plans; and environmental assessments and impact statements.
Contract awards by NAVFAC Pacific were announced by DoD the same date to Nagamine Okawa Engineers Inc. and Fukunaga & Associates Inc. — both of Honolulu, which said 5% of the awards are for design and engineering services in “South Pacific islands.”
In related news, a recent decision to open the first of the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters barracks at Marine Corps Camp Blaz in Guam was due to mold and other deficiencies seen at barracks at Andersen Air Force Base by Secretary of the Navy John Phelan in early May, when he visited.
According to the Project on Government Oversight, which broke the story on May 29, Phelan ordered the action which resulted in military personnel being moved from Andersen to Camp Blaz.
A release from Camp Blaz lauded the opening of the BEQ barracks, even though no dining facility was ready, according to Journal files.
A Request for Information was issued as a Special Notice on Feb. 17, 2024 by Naval Facilities Engineering and Systems Command Pacific “seeking innovative housing solutions to accommodate 1,000 to 4,000 additional accompanied and unaccompanied service members on the island of Guam due to increased military presence,” according to Journal files: Guam housing RFI looks to meet buildup housing needs.
No Request for Proposals has been issued by NAVFAC, following the RFI. mbj