LOWER HILL REDEVELOPMENT

March is Women's History Month, a month where we acknowledge women's historical contributions and recognize the sacrifices made by women, to help make the world, and our country, a more inclusive and diverse place.  Meet Project Engineer, Olivia Grunseich, a bright and shining star at BPGS Construction who's been working on the Lower Hill Redevelopment project for nearly two and a half years. She spent her early days orchestrating  community outreach efforts focused on minority and women owned businesses (M/WBEs). This critical work effort opened up a direct communication line to Lower Hill job training and employment opportunities, now funneled through the First Source Center. 

"Initially, I put a lot of time into building our M/WBE database of Pittsburgh companies, and spent a lot of time assisting our internal team because I became the person that basically had a hand in everything. As time went on and we started growing our partners and team, I was able to dive deeper into the development / construction realm, and began focusing more on tracking our development budget, schedules, and report metrics," says Oliva.   

Acting as Development Coordinator for the Lower Hill Redevelopment, Olivia draws from her educational background in civil engineering and construction management to navigate the development process. She attributes her success to date on past projects and says by educating herself on things like contracts, RFI’s and schedules it has helped her have a better understanding of how everything works allowing her to have a better overall understanding of the project. "I’m excited to see through the different stages of construction and development for each of the projects on the Lower Hill and hope to gain a better understanding with each day," she says.

While acknowledging the wealth of knowledge gained working in collaboration with the development team and many consultants, she notes her time spent working alongside BPGS Construction Manager Matt Corace as some of the most impactful thus far;

"Matt has one of the toughest jobs and still puts aside time to teach me about construction. As the construction manager for the project, and a native Pittsburgher, Matt has taught me so much over the years and I really admire his drive and attention to details." 

Similarly, Olivia has taken on a "teacher" role coaching small construction business owners in a two part class on bidding and estimating. For the second year in a row she is working with Riverside Center for Innovation BizFIT Tier II Construction cohort.

For women currently in or considering entering the construction field, Olivia's shares these words of encouragement: 

"My advice for other women is to not dismiss your own thoughts and feelings. It can be very intimidating to be the only woman in a room full of men, but in a lot of situations, you bring a whole different perspective to the table. Building confidence is so important when working in a male-dominated field and the first step to succeeding is by trusting your own ideas and contributions."

Firms interested in construction opportunities click here 
Individuals interesting in construction opportunities should go to the First Source Center 

P.J. Dick, in association with Mascaro and Massaro, for the Lower Hill Redevelopment:  G1 – FNB Financial Center (Pittsburgh, PA)  hosted their third and final Bidder Information Session on Thursday, June 24, 2021 @ 3pm for the upcoming construction.  Session was held virtually via Zoom and registration was required. 

During the session PJ Dick and the project team reviewed upcoming bid and vendor opportunities, project details and schedule, as well as the bid process requirements.  Businesses of all sizes are strongly encouraged to attend.  Attendance is not required to bid.
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For more project information visit  www.lowerhillredevelopment.com/construction-bidding.html

Got Questions? You've come to the right place! Please see the list below for answers to  frequently asked questions.  

Are there union requirements?  
PJ Dick is signatory to the Carpenters, Laborers, Cement Finishers, Operators, and Ironworkers (rebar only).  Direct subcontracting with PJ Dick is accomplished through being a union Subcontractor or a non-union subcontractor with a Union Project Agreement.  Zoom meetings on paths for non-union subcontractors were held for the beginning of June.  Please check this website for the recorded sessions. 

Any non-union companies that want to explore union affiliation must discuss it directly with the union(s) that relate to the type(s) of work performed by the company,

Zoom meetings about the perks of becoming a union contractor have been held already by Riverside Center for Innovation (contact Juan Garrett) and can be very helpful in providing insight about both the union and non-union business models.

Are there bonding requirements?  
For the FNB Financial Center project, a Performance and Payment Bond is required for Subcontracts with PJ Dick > $200k

Are there Prevailing Wages?  
Yes the project will require Prevailing Wages.

Will Certified Payrolls be required?  
Yes Certified Payrolls are required.

Is a Certification required for M/WBEs?  
Yes, to count towards the M/WBE Goals a company is required to have a Certification OR be in the process of becoming Certified.  Direct bids to PJ Dick from an M/W business shall include the Certification or letter stating they are in the process of acquiring a Certification with their bid.

What is CCIP?  
Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan which was developed and memorialized September 11, 2014.  The purpose of the plan is to define specific goals strategies and processes for maximizing the inclusion of the Greater Hill District community and its residents in certain aspects of the redevelopment project.  The plan's intent is to represent an unprecedented level of collaboration for the Southwestern Pennsylvania region with M/WBE goals and Local Resident Inclusion across the redevelopment. Read more about it here

Will this project have RACP Requirements?
Yes portions of the FNB Financial Center are seeking RACP funding.  More specific details are included with the individual Bid Packages for the tracking and documentation requirements.

Will this project have a Project Labor Agreement (PLA)?  
No there will not be a Project Labor Agreement.

Plasterers & Cement Union Information Session (6/3/2021) Questions: 

What is the employer obligation in regards to dues in a union relationship and also, when are those funds due?
The employer is not responsible for the dues of their employees. Those dues are the responsibility of the employee. The employer must pay union wages and fringe benefits to all employees working on the job. Fringe benefit payment schedules are agreed upon with the specific union. Generally, benefits are paid 30-60 days behind the work. 

How much of a bond would be required?
The bond is dependent of the total contract value. Cameron stated the highest bond his group had ever required was $40,000.

July 2021 FNB Bid Package Information Session (6/24/2021) Questions:

So who is the agency that approves the mbe plan?
The plan is already approved. These goals are what we are using to evaluate bidders to ensure we achieve our goals.
 
As a minority women business does my company qualify for 45 of the goal?
A minority women owned business could qualify for either goal, but not both. The advantage is that you can be placed into whichever category needs more representation.
 
What is the SEAS Function?
They are helping to look at our diversity goals in a different way. The diversity and inclusion goals will now be evaluated 3 different ways.
 
Will there be any opportunities for food/caterer vendors?
That would be an opportunity you would need to speak to the developer, BPG about. Olivia would be happy to speak with you.
 
Does DBE qualify for MBE or WBE?
DBE is a category used by different agencies. On your certification it should state whether you are a MBE or WBE within that DBE category.

​PJ Dick, in association with Mascaro and Massaro, will be hosting a bidder information session for the upcoming construction of the G1- FNB Financial Center.
The session will be virtual and registration is required. During the session PJ Dick and the project team will review upcoming bid and vendor opportunities, project details and schedule, as well as the bid process. Businesses of all sizes are strongly encouraged to attend. Attendance is not required for bidding. 

​The Buccini/Pollin Group, PJ Dick, and E. Holdings Inc. are hosted a virtual MWBE construction information session for diverse businesses to learn more about current and future opportunities for the Lower Hill Redevelopment Project(s). This session provides more information to minority and women owned businesses interested in construction related work, as well as outline resources available to support current and future business growth. It covers ways to get help with bidding, the bid submittal process, and opportunities for subcontracting with larger firms.

Watch the full presentation below:

Wednesday, March 31st from 6:00 - 8:00 PM streaming live via Zoom.

​The development team is working alongside the community and stakeholders to deliver the highest commitments to minority-owned, local businesses and bring economic revitalization to the Hill District for neighborhood initiatives. We invite you to this panel discussion about economic impacts of the redevelopment featuring members of the development team. This virtual event will be moderated by Lower Hill historical consultant, Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis.   

PJ Dick, Mascaro and Massaro Construction will conduct multiple potential bidder education forums. During these sessions, bidders will get a glimpse of the project design, the current time line for the project and timeline for bid bid packages. Most importantly potential bidders will be made aware of the goals of the CCIP that apply to the subcontractor and supplier market. This is the first of at least three sessions.