Job Order Contracting (JOC) is an efficient and flexible construction procurement method that enables organizations to complete many projects with a single competitively awarded contract. Responsible for tens of thousands of projects and $4 billion in construction volume every year, Gordian’s Job Order Contracting solutions are the go-to delivery method for various types of work. In this post, we’ll look at JOC’s success with routine construction.
Job Order Contracting Success With Routine Construction
Miami Beach Public Safety Project
“I don’t believe we could have done the projects without Gordian’s JOC program.”
Detective Roland Aragunde, Miami Beach Police Department
With 26 million tourists visiting annually and 80,000 full-time residents, public safety is a top priority for the City of Miami Beach. In hopes of enhancing security in this sunny vacation destination, the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) used Gordian’s Job Order Contracting to install new closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along Ocean Drive, a popular street lined with shops, hotels, restaurants and nightlife. MBPD also reconfigured the security monitoring system within Lummus Park as part of a broader connectivity initiative.
Area contractor South Florida Electrical Consultants installed nearly 50 new security cameras between May of 2020 and early 2022. Work began on the Beachwalk, an open promenade where people, bike, jog and sightsee. MBPD trusted the contractor to work without disrupting this high-volume tourist area, and the contractor delivered without any logistical issues. This trust is a feature of JOC, as project owners and contractors regularly establish long-term relationships built on open communication and mutual benefit.
South Florida Electrical Consultants also installed fiber cables for the new CCTV system, transforming Lummus Park into a communication hub with MBPD’s station and its Mobile Command Vehicle.
MBPD Detective Roland Aragunde of the Technical Operations Unit oversaw the projects from their inception. “I don’t believe we could have done the projects without Gordian’s JOC program. Our contractor, South Florida Electric Consultants, truly became a partner on our journey. What we have done will provide the foundation for future growth, improving telecommunication across the city and enabling the Police Department to use all the technologies available to provide world-class public safety. Our CCTV project provides actionable data in real-time and helps our detectives solve cases with video evidence,” Detective Aragunde said.
Harrisburg Schools (PA) District-Wide Bathroom Renovations
When a new administration took the helm at Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg Schools, one of their first orders of business was to assess district facilities. During these assessments, leaders identified several schools that required remodels of their worn bathrooms. Further, the administration wanted to design the restrooms in a way that prevented vandalism and limited repairs. Their answer for completing the identified work was Gordian’s Job Order Contracting.
The district accessed JOC via its purchasing cooperative, the Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN). Known as Cooperative Job Order Contracting (or ezIQC®), these shared JOC contracts allow organizations to begin construction work with incredible speed, as the cooperative has already ironed out contract details and awarded area contractors on behalf of its members.
Harrisburg Schools worked with Lobar Construction Management, an experienced JOC contractor, to complete construction at 10 sites beginning in the summer of 2023. Reps from Lobar and Gordian helped the district maximize its ESSER funds and KPN assisted with scope development. The project team presented district leaders with several conceptual plans and the district’s preferred plan was modified to meet the current needs and footprint of the existing bathrooms.
Within four months, all identified schools had revamped restroom facilities, including securer sinks, antivandal mirrors designed to resist damage and theft, and new stalls that offer more privacy.
San Francisco Public Works Replaces Retaining Wall
“What made this project successful was the timeframe. This would’ve taken six to eight months with a formal bid, but we didn’t have that kind of time with something as urgent as this.”
Teenchee Le, JOC Contracts Manager, San Francisco Department of Public Works
A mere two miles from the coast, San Francisco’s Hawk Hill Park is nestled between a schoolyard and a neighborhood. A prime bird-watching spot, Hawk Hill is characterized by its population of rare plant and insect species and its enormous sand dunes, which are kept free from pedestrian traffic to maintain the delicate ecosystem.
When a wooden retaining wall between the dunes and a neighborhood cul-de-sac showed signs of failure, city leaders turned to Gordian’s Job Order Contracting to replace it. Time was of the essence. Should the wall have collapsed, the hillside could have tumbled, damaging both the adjacent properties and Hawk Hill’s unique environment. This urgency made JOC an ideal project delivery method for replacing the retaining wall.
City officials awarded the project to Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction, a local firm familiar to the Department of Public Works.
“They’re one of our oldest JOC contractors,” said Teenchee Le, JOC Contracts Manager at the department. “Since Yerba Buena has performed this type of work in the past with a lot of success, we felt confident assigning them this project.”
In addition to experience working in crowded city streets and knowledge of local soil conditions, Yerba Buena demonstrated an aptitude for community outreach, as they went door-to-door to discuss project plans with residents and listen to their concerns. Even undertaking these extra steps and using them to expand the scope of the project, JOC still proved faster than traditional construction procurement methods.
“What made this project successful was the timeframe. This would’ve taken six to eight months with a formal bid, but we didn’t have that kind of time with something as urgent as this. With JOC, we were able to select a contractor that we trust and who knows the work, and complete the Joint Scope Meeting in significantly less time than bidding the contract,” Le explained.
Respecting both Hawk Hill Park and the neighborhood by working with great care, Yerba Buena installed a new steel and concrete wall behind the failing wooden one and removed the old wall when they finished. Work included pouring concrete to secure steel postholes in the sandy soil, regrading the hill, installing erosion-prevention features and planting 3,000 native plants to help stabilize the hillside. With no damage done to Hawk Hill Park or the adjacent homes, the project was heralded as a success.
Routine projects like these are considered the JOC sweet spot, the kind of work where the construction procurement method’s strengths shine the brightest.
