Foothill Gold Line Awards $60MM Design/Engineering Contract to Parsons
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
A rendering of the Claremont Station, which will be part of the Foothill Gold Line.
Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority
MONROVIA, Calif. - Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority board of directors voted to award a design and engineering services contract to Parsons Transportation Group, Inc.
The six-year, $60 million contract is for the Claremont Extension of the Metro A Line light rail system and is the first of two major contracts to be awarded as part of the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method. According to the release, this contract includes all design elements of the 2.3-mile extension “from its current design level of approximately 30% to ‘Approved for Construction’ drawings.” The second of the two contracts is currently underway as the board has approved the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP). The construction manager contract is expected to be awarded in May. It includes “an initial phase of work during project design that includes providing constructibility reviews, value engineering, third party coordination and cost estimating.” There is also a possibility of building the project if the team negotiates a construction services contract with an acceptable price.
For this first contract, Parsons scored 94 points out of 100 on evaluation criteria and had the top proposal of three teams. Evaluation criteria included the company’s qualifications, relevant experience, staffing and team organization, financial stability, and project plan and approach. For the interview stage, Parsons scored 47 points out of 50.
“While we evaluated three highly qualified teams, Parsons distinguished themselves as the clear leader for the Claremont Extension,” stated Foothill Gold Line Board Chair and Claremont Vice Mayor, Ed Reece. “Their deep experience designing light rail projects, including with previous phases of the Foothill Gold Line, ensures they possess the specialized expertise needed to deliver this critical phase, bringing us one step closer to fulfilling our 25-station mandate and enhancing regional mobility, quality of life, and the environment.”
“Parsons has led design teams for each phase of this project for the past 25 years, and we are excited to once again be selected to continue that legacy,” said Mark Fialkowski, president, Infrastructure North America for Parsons. “Extending light rail options opens access to neighborhoods that were once limited for commuters. The A Line expansion will improve commuter and visitor access between downtown Los Angeles and the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. It is rewarding for everyone who has been involved at Parsons to see the next segment move forward to design and come one step closer to fruition.”
