A request for bids solicited by Bay Area Hospital for a remodeling job are being re-evaluated, after only one bid, characterized as high, was submitted.

Bids were requested for the remodeling of the interior of several patient rooms, nurses' stations and other associated spaces - all located within a portion of the second floor of the hospital, according to a notice to contractors released by the hospital.

”It was for our maternity services area,“ said BAH director of Public Relations and Marketing Bonnie Barron. ”One bid came in high, so we are just doing further evaluations and looking to see if we can proceed.“

The hospital's maternity area was ”all new in 2001,“ according to Barron. But demand at BAH has risen since Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport stopped offering childbirth services.

”An increase from around 500 to 600 in the last year,“ said Barron.

The bid process was narrowed by strict requirements. The notice requested a description of the bidding contractor's prior experience and qualifications to perform the work, but Kim Laehmann, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Southwestern Oregon, wasn't sure if those discouraged Bay Area contractors from submitting bids.

”This is the busy time of the year,“ she said. ”But I couldn't tell you if the rules and regulations influenced anyone from putting in a bid on it. The topic has not come up at any of our meetings or discussions - no one has spoken a word to me about the Bay Area Hospital job or a bid to me.“

Dan Abel, president of the Home Builders Association of Southwestern Oregon, agreed about the pace of building in the Bay Area.

”It's been an extremely busy year for contractors,“ he said. ”For the most part, our area contractors have been quite busy the past year-and-a-half and I don't see it slowing up in the future.“

Abel indicated the complexity and scope of the BAH job might have been a factor in the low bid response.

There are reasons for the requirements.

”We will not be shutting down the unit,“ said Barron. ”We'll continue to have patient care going on. That's why it's necessary for the contractors' to meet these explicit requirements.

”These are standard practices. They have to meet very strict requirements to work within the hospital, and not every contractor can meet these. They have to show their proof of experience in working in occupied patient care areas. They have to meet tight timelines, meet infection control, it's very different from being out on the grounds putting up a shed as opposed to working in a patient care area where you have to work around them.“

Citing great concern over occupied partially acute-care areas, in its notice, BAH set contractor requirements that included:

€ performing work in a manner that does not adversely affect patient care;

€ that work be done based on occupancy levels, and will be coordinated with hospital representatives;

€ the ability to mobilize and commence work on short notice and complete the work in a manner to allow all or part of the area to become occupied as needed; and

€ work practices that are consistent with the need for a clean environment and infection control;

€ utilizing specified area for moving personnel and materials, and the ability to restore these areas for hospital use as needed; and

€ an acknowledgment that the contractor must be prepared to temporarily cease work without notice if the work is judged to be affecting patient care.

Upon acceptance of a bid the work is expected to commence in three phases and be completed in approximately seven months.

”They hoped the first phase would start in November and be completely done in May of 2006,“ said Barron. However, the process will be held up until the job is rebid, and a date for that has not yet been set.