UH to proceed with contract plans for resurfacing of athletic field

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Gregg Takayama, 956-9836
Community and Government Affairs
Posted: Sep 5, 2008

The University of Hawai‘i has denied two protests contesting the award of a contract for the resurfacing of UH Mānoa‘s Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex (formerly known as Cooke Field).

The contract of $862,381 was awarded on August 13th to the lowest-bidder, RMY Construction, Inc., to install a new synthetic playing surface. Following the award, however, protests were received from the second-lowest bidder, CO-HA Builders, Inc., dba Applied Surface Technology and the fourth-lowest bidder, Ching‘s Nursery, Inc. dba Service Contracting.

CO-HA Builders has subsequently requested a hearing with the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs on the University‘s denial of CO-HA Builder‘s protest.

Attorney William McCorriston has been retained by the University to handle this hearing and any other proceeding, including any court actions.

"We intend to aggressively pursue the completion of this project because of its importance to our campus and the community and because this is a great public-private partnership between the State Legislature, the Ching Foundation, and the University," said Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw. The Legislature this session appropriated $1.2 million for the turf replacement project and the Ching Foundation is providing $5 million for the athletic complex.

"It‘s important to resolve the legal obstacles to this matter as quickly as we possibly can so that we can move on and begin work on the project," said Athletic Director Jim Donovan. "If we can do that, the new field would be ready this season and really help the football team, as well as such groups as the band and ROTC."


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