GBI’s continues to support Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) on the Big Island of Hawai‘i

GBI’s continued support of Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) supports our national security, adds to the local economy, and helps strengthen relationships that are essential to Hawai‘i Island and the State of Hawai‘i. 

In October 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded the FY18 Repair North Drainage, Secondary Electrical Lines, and Telecommunications Project at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) on the Big Island of Hawai‘i to Broadway Pagoda Joint Venture of Chicago. The project was a federal small business set-aside, and GBI was not able to bid on it as prime contractor. However, a month later, GBI was awarded a subcontract for more than half the value of the entire contract. GBI’s solid performance on two previous USACE projects on PTA, coupled with competitive pricing, helped our new client decide GBI was the best choice.

PTA is a military training facility used by Hawai‘i-based U.S. Marines and U.S. Army soldiers and sits at an elevation of 6,000 feet at the base of Mauna Kea in the “saddle” created by Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The project has its share of unique attributes. Unlike most project sites in Hawai‘i, PTA is located in an unusually arid and cool area. Occasional frost, lightning, heavy rains, and high winds punctuate an otherwise pleasant climate, and conditions can change quickly. Subsurface conditions range from powdery ash soils to dense lava rock. Access to the base is regulated; all construction personnel must obtain proper credentials typical of any military base.

As a USACE project, safety and quality are continually scrutinized for conformance to contract requirements. Specifications are rigorous and adherence to all aspects of all portions of the specifications is required, unless the contractor can present a beneficial alternative to the government. In addition to standard construction safety requirements such as OSHA and MSHA, all requirements outlined in the USACE’s EM-385 safety manual are strictly enforced as well. GBI must account for these requirements while remaining competitive at bid time. The GBI project team must navigate these requirements while maintaining productivity.

In addition to the installation of underground secondary electrical lines and telecommunications, surface drainage features were installed throughout most of the project site. The scope of work includes 53,000 LF of telecommunications and electrical conduit; 16,000 LF of trench; 80 precast telecommunications and electrical boxes; 16 precast drainage manholes and drain inlets; three 30-by-50 infiltration beds; 775 LF of reinforced concrete drain pipe; 31,000 SF of permeable paving for six fire lanes; 28,900 SF of pavers for pedestrian reclaim areas; 3,200 LF of gabion mattress; 30,000 SF of mortared rip rap drainage channel; and the restoration of all disturbed areas, including asphalt pavement repair.

GBI’s work will help PTA in its ongoing program to make much-needed improvements to the 60-year-old facility. This will enable PTA to continue to provide a quality training facility while being good stewards of the land and maintaining an enduring partnership with the Hawai‘i Island community. GBI’s continued support of PTA supports our national security, adds to the local economy, and helps strengthen relationships that are essential to Hawai‘i Island and the State of Hawai‘i.

GBI’s portion of the project is expected to be completed in October of 2020, and the entire project is expected to be complete in mid-2021. GBI will continue to provide a high degree of customer satisfaction to our immediate client, as well as to the USACE and PTA. GBI’s reputation as a professional and capable company precedes us and has helped us win a total of three projects at PTA since 2014. USACE has expressed its satisfaction with our work by giving us outstanding ratings for the first two projects; we are working for and anticipate the same for the third. Once again, GBI has gained the trust and respect of our clients and remains one of USACE’s “contractor of choice.”