NAVFAC Marianas commander gives construction update

TUMON, Guam—Capt. Stephanie Jones, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas commanding officer, highlighted command accomplishments over the past year and discussed future plans for military construction during an Engineers Week meeting, Feb. 23.

The forum, held at the Hyatt Regency Guam, was hosted by Guam Post of the Society of American Military Engineers, the Guam Contractors Association, and the Guam Society of Professional Engineers, and attended by a host of local construction-related professional organizations.

Engineers Week is an annual celebration, observed this year from Feb. 19-25.

Jones kicked off the presentation with her philosophy on safety. Her message of “construction execution first, safety always” is to serve as a reminder that safety must be a constant, overarching consideration in all NAVFAC Marianas activities.

As more projects get underway, even more attention must be paid to safety, she said. While the NAVFAC Marianas safety record is very good, “I ask for your commitment to safety at an even greater level so we can be even better,” Jones said.

A number of Marine Corps buildup related construction projects have been completed or are proceeding, primarily at Apra Harbor and Andersen Air Force Base North Ramp. She said other projects to support the Marine Corps cantonment at Finegayan and the Live-fire Training Range Complex at Northwest Field are expected to be awarded this fiscal year when requirements to safeguard endangered and threatened species have been favorably satisfied.

In addition, a significant military housing construction program has started at Andersen AFB, and the island-wide military housing program could be worth approximately $1 billion over the next 10 years.

While the larger construction projects are of high dollar value, NAVFAC Marianas expects to continue its robust small-business program.

“In fiscal year 2016 NAVFAC Marianas met or exceeded all assigned small-business targets,” Jones said. “We awarded $188 million worth of business to small business concerns, which represents 59 percent of what we awarded on island.”

With the projected growth in construction, NAVFAC Marianas expects to increase its capacity to oversee the work, she said. “On an annual basis, over the last several years, NAVFAC Marianas has executed with contractors approximately $200 million to $220 million work in place,” she said. “At some point in the future with the Marine Corps buildup we expect to be at least four times greater.”

The command will likely grow from its current staffing of 570 members to close to 800, most of whom will support the Officer in Charge of Construction Marine Corps Marianas office, which was established in August 2016 to oversee the construction of Marine Corps facilities on Guam.

Jones concluded by extending her thanks for the remarkable partnerships shared between NAVFAC Marianas and the construction community. She also pledged her team’s continued close collaboration and support during anticipated military growth in the region. (USN)