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downtown court tower uses "buy arizona" policy
The article is available in PDF.
Some government agencies have a “Buy America” policy. At the Downtown Court Tower, we’ve been pushing a “Buy Arizona” policy.
To date the Downtown Court Tower project has awarded approximately 55 bid packages that include 36 trade contractors and numerous second tier sub contractors as well as more than 15 vendors and subcontractors that perform service type duties.
Only two of these are from outside the state of Arizona. They are Beaubois Canada and Norment Security Group. (listing of all our contractors and subcontractors)
These two are specialty firms and provide products and services that are not available from Arizona vendors. Both firms also have a history of successfully delivering large complex criminal justice projects.
Beaubois is one of North America's premier courthouse millwork trade contractors. They have worked on public projects, primarily courthouses, in more than 28 states and the District of Columbia. Even here there is a local benefit. They are teamed with local millwork installer AMD to provide the courtroom millwork on our project. Beaubois currently plans having two management staff on site and the remainder of the installation staff will be local employees through AMD.
Norment is from California, however they do have a Chandler office. They are providing our in-custody holding cell wall systems. Their Supervision is from outside the area but they, too, are utilizing local employees to supplement their crews and as well have sublet portions of their work to three local trade contractors: Azteca Glass, Southwest Caulking and Shotcrete Specialties. All of these are local to the Phoenix job market. These are assisting in Norment's commitment to our Gilbane/Ryan Minority Women Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) program.
Given the specialty nature of this cell wall system, this bid package had only non-Arizona trade contractors that were able to qualify to perform this scope of work.
The quality control process both firms will follow is mandated by primary contractor Gilbane/Ryan and will achieve the highest standards. They both have specifications that must be adhered to as well as their own internal quality process in each of their manufacturing facilities as well.
