A year after a US Navy engineering team evaluated the ECC gymnasium in Delap, work on the project is now moving forward with plans to issue a request for proposals for new roof beams repair for the facility.
Initial mobilization for the construction project is anticipated in early 2016, according to the Project Management Unit at the Ministry of Public Works. Over recent weeks, a portion of the damaged lagoon-facing facade at the ECC collapsed into the interior of the facility, further confirming the damage caused by termite infestation over four years ago.
The US Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific (NAVFAC) supported a Humanitarian Assistance RMI Project Support Survey last year to visually assess the condition of the ECC roof, recommend a potential repair strategy, and provide an estimated cost for the recommended actions.
Local support for the assessment was provided to the Navy team by the US Embassy’s Jeff Sheldon and Project Management Unit architect at the Ministry of Public Works Melvin Dacillo.
At the JEMFAC meeting in September, JEMFAC approved an estimated budget of $1.58 million for the ECC gym roof repair. NAVFAC confirmed this week that funding was recently received and a draft request for proposals for the roof arch beam repairs should be ready within a week for review by Public Works’ PMU.
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