Breaking New Ground—Stories from Defence Construction Breaking_new_ground | Page 136

As DND completes the environmental clean up phase and
plays an increasing role in the Arctic, DCC will be there
as a team member, using world-leading Arctic science
and technology to ensure that our Client-Partner can
meet its infrastructure construction, maintenance and
operations needs, wherever they may arise. construction industry, which we’re also demonstrating
by the signing of special partnering agreements.
These recognize, at the beginning of a project, that all
parties have the same goal in mind: effective, efficient
construction projects delivering best value for money in
a timely fashion.
Developing partnerships—and savings
While DCC has always considered itself in partnership
with both DND and the construction industry, it has
focused on taking this partnership concept to a whole
new level by testing and adapting new models of
procurement with DND. Public-private partnerships,
such as the one being used in the CSEC LTAP project
in Ottawa, are one example of this, as are the energy
savings contracts now being used in DND facilities
across Canada. In the latter example, the chosen
contractor initially bears the cost of building refits,
renovations and construction. Those costs are paid
back over time using some of the savings that newer
technology and building techniques generate. Particularly on large and complex projects, DCC
encourages its private sector construction teams to sign
these partnering agreements, which lay out a formal
commitment to quality, fairness and performance. For
instance, before the first shovel hit the ground in
Trenton on construction of the $84.7-million Hangar 1
for the CC-177 Globemaster III transport aircraft,
personnel from DND, DCC, general contractors Bird
Construction Company and a handful of key sub-trades
agreed on a special partnering arrangement. The
team’s aim was to ensure it delivered Hangar 1 on
schedule, on budget and to specification. The agreement
articulates the project’s mandate and describes the
values each company is expected to bring to the jobsite
every day.
These new models of procurement allow us to use
the best possible methods to get the job done quickly
and effectively for our Client-Partner, says James Paul.
They build on our excellent reputation for fairness and
transparency in procurement within the Canadian
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In many ways, agreements such as this one restore the
too-often neglected notion of a good faith accord among
construction parties, explained Ron de Vries, DCC’s
former Senior Vice-President, Operations. Our history
BREAKING NEW GROUND
DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA