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Colorado city extends public works contract into 2018
[December 20, 2012]

Colorado city extends public works contract into 2018


Dec 20, 2012 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- The Centennial, Colo., city council voted to extend its contract with CH2M HILL to continue providing public works services for its 103,000 residents in one of the largest public-private partnerships of its kind in the U.S.



The new agreement, valued at just over $51 million, runs from Jan. 1, 2013 through June 30, 2018. It includes expanded service delivery such as plowing an additional 93 miles of street network, additional asphalt, concrete and street-sweeping maintenance, replacing all street name signs with distinctive blue signs and increased performance standards for responding to citizen work requests, all while reducing the city's overall cost.

"I am very pleased the city has reached an agreement with CH2M HILL to continue providing public works services for Centennial," says Mayor Cathy Noon. "The city negotiated nearly a $1-million cost savings along with receiving enhanced services, an example of Centennial being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. I look forward to continuing this partnership." Centennial incorporated in 2001 with a vision to be an "intentional" city -- independent and lean, keeping staff small and outsourcing key activities where possible. In 2008, the city conducted a thorough examination of its required public works services and citizen demands. After a competitive bidding process, Centennial selected CH2M HILL, based in nearby Englewood, to manage all its public works functions including traffic engineering and operations, permit processing, inspections, administrative services, and street and roadside maintenance, including snow removal.


CH2M HILL also created a 24-hour customer-service call center, which serves as a single-point of contact for all Centennial citizen requests, questions and concerns, including public works.

The partnership has garnered numerous awards, including the 2010 National Council for Public-Private Partnerships Service Award; 2009 American Public Works Association-Colorado Chapter Innovative Customer Service Call Center Award; 2010 APWA Innovative Customer Service Call Center Award; and 2011 APWA-Colorado Maintenance-Operation for Energy Award.

Most recently, the Centennial/CH2M HILL partnership earned the 2012 Institute of Transportation Engineers Transportation Achievement Award for Operations for an optimized snow plow routing project. The project used mathematical algorithms and computer modeling to direct snowplows through the city street network in the most efficient manner, reducing the time involved by 40 percent. The project also involved the use of consumer global positioning system devices, reprogrammed by the local staff, to provide plow drivers with visual and voice directions to guide them through their routes even in the most blinding snowstorm. The success of this project is what enables CH2M HILL to plow an additional 93 miles of streets at no additional cost to the city.

"We're honored that Centennial has chosen to extend our contract," says Elisa Speranza, president of CH2M HILL's Operations & Maintenance Business Group. "This project exemplifies the essence of a truly collaborative, mutually beneficial partnership. It also demonstrates CH2M HILL's quality approach to innovation, where employees are 'paid to think' and seek out opportunities for continuous improvement that provide greater value to our client and the citizens of Centennial." Headquartered near Denver, Colo., USA, employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in consulting, design, design-build, operations, and program management for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. The firm's work is concentrated in the areas of water, transportation, environmental, energy, facilities and resources. With US$7 billion in revenue and 30,000 employees, CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm, as ranked by Engineering News-Record and named a leader in sustainable engineering by Verdantix. The firm has been named a FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For five times.

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