MONROVIA, CA — At a recent meeting, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (Construction Authority) board of directors voted unanimously to award the construction manager contract for the 2.3-mile Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension to SSH Joint Venture (SSH), a team made up of Skanska USA Civil West California District Inc., Stacy and Witbeck Inc., and Herzog Contracting Corp. The contract award came on the heels of a competitive procurement process that saw bids from four teams. The construction manager contract is the second of two major contracts now awarded to deliver the Pomona to Claremont project using the construction manager at risk (CMAR) delivery method adopted by the board for the project last year.

"[This] award is a major step forward to getting the Metro A Line to Claremont," said Ed Reece, Foothill Gold Line Board Chair and Claremont Vice Mayor. "SSH is a highly experienced team, and they will put that know-how to work over the next year to support the final project design, currently being developed by Parsons, to ensure the design is optimized for constructability and effectiveness. While also becoming deeply engaged in all aspects of the project's planning, so they can provide the Construction Authority a price to build the project that eliminates unnecessary risk and is based on the most efficient construction plan possible."

The contract award includes the authorization for $6.3 million to be used for the initial 18-month preconstruction phase, during which SSH will be responsible for supporting the ongoing design efforts currently underway by Parsons Transportation Group Inc. (Parsons), the team awarded the first contract for design and engineering services. SSH's role during this initial phase will include providing constructability reviews, value engineering, third-party coordination, and cost estimating, among other activities that will help inform the design. After the project design reaches approximately 85 percent completion, SSH will have the possibility of building the project if the team successfully negotiates a construction services contract with an acceptable price — anticipated in fall 2027.

SSH ranked the highest overall of the four teams competing for the contract, following review of their written proposals, in-person interviews, and cost. Each team was rated on management approach; experience, personnel and performance; interview performance; approach to working in a complex right of way corridor with Metrolink/SCRRA; and approach to light rail systems. Because the full cost of constructing the project will not be determined until after the project design reaches about 85 percent, the procurement process used a formula that compared the four teams based on their preconstruction phase cost proposals and profit and overhead figures. Ultimately, the teams were ranked on a "best value" approach, in which technical scores and interview performance were weighted significantly heavier than the results of the price formula. SSH was ranked highest overall and determined to be the team providing the best value.

With this award, the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension, which will include a new Metro A Line station in the City of Claremont, is on track toward an expected late-2027 start of major construction. It is expected that once major construction begins, it will take approximately four years to complete. Once completed, the extension will provide environmentally friendly, car-free access to Claremont's downtown (the Claremont Village), the seven-campus Claremont Colleges, new housing developments, regional parks, and more.