PPP process begins for the Glen while current site renovations continue
Since our last issue of Health Perspectives, a number of critical watersheds have been reached in the realization of the MUHC’s redevelopment project. The first of these took place on June 18, 2007, when the Quebec government announced its decision to employ a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for the design, construction, maintenance and financing of the new facilities at the Glen campus (a conventional construction mode will be used for the modernization and expansion of the Mountain campus). The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by MUHC Director General and CEO Dr. Arthur Porter, who said that the MUHC supported the government’s choice of a PPP model and had completed all of the preparatory work that was needed to solicit bidders. Campaign Chairman John Rae also expressed his satisfaction with the announcement, emphasizing the certainty inherent in issuing a contract to the private sector and the boost that this important milestone will bring to the campaign.
On June 27, the MUHC issued a formal Request for Qualification (RFQ) to consortia interested in submitting proposals for the redevelopment of the Glen campus. In order to provide even more information to these companies on what precisely the project will entail, the MUHC’s Planning Office hosted an information session on July 11 for potential bidders. More than 100 delegates representing 65 major companies in Canada, the United States and Europe attended the session, which gave the MUHC a taste of the high level of international excitement in the project.
The next step in the qualifications process is for interested developers to submit their documentation to the MUHC by September 17. These documents will be evaluated by a selection committee that will consider a number of criteria, including technical competency and experience in building university health care centres and research facilities, energy management, financial capacity and expertise, architectural accomplishments and teamwork. The seven-member selection committee will have four appointees by the MUHC and three members selected by the government. On October 22, a short list of three qualified consortia will be announced, after which the careful and precise process of preparing and evaluating the consortia’s proposals will begin (for a timeline of upcoming steps in the PPP process, see the timeline below).
At the same time as this fundamental planning for the Glen campus is taking place, the redevelopment continued to advance with the completion of a number of critical renovation projects across the current sites. Many of these projects are designed to facilitate the transition to the two new campuses, while others involve the installation of equipment that will be relocated once the project has been completed. A number of these projects were funded through donors’ generosity to the Best Care for Life campaign – for an overview of campaign-funded renovations, see Health Perspectives, volume 7, issue 1. These upgrades are slated to continue through 2007 and 2008 (for highlights, see the sidebar at left).
Finally, the MUHC received additional good news on July 3, when the Shriners voted overwhelmingly to keep the Canadian Shriners Hospital in Montreal. “Shriners from across North America and particularly Canada and the northeastern United States agree that it’s in the best interest of children and their families and the advancement of medical research to keep the hospital in Montreal,” explained John McDonald, Potentate of the Shriners Karnak Temple. “Most importantly, they now appreciate that the site is ready and that we’re ready to build.”
What’s new at the Mountain — Renovations and upgrades for 2007/2008
- Renovations and the purchase of new equipment for Gastroenterology
- Installation of a new, state-of-the-art MR (magnetic resonance) simulator, bringing the latest technology to the MUHC’s medical imaging specialists
- Extensive renovations of in-patient psychiatry units
- Modernization of the Cardiac Care Unit
- September 17, 2007: Deadline for submissions to qualify (RFQ)
- October 22, 2007: Announcement of short list of qualified potential private‑sector partners (3 consortia)
- February 2008: Request for proposals (RFP) issued
- September 2008: Deadline for submitting the proposal
- December 2008: Selection and announcement of the chosen partner
- February 2009: Signing of the partnership agreement and financial closing
