Start of Resiliency Center project eyed by next year

Tracy B. Norita

Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita said yesterday that they experienced some delays with the project to build the Economic Resiliency Center on Capital Hill, but are hoping that construction will start next year.

Norita discussed the project as she shared highlights on some of Finance’s projects during the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee’s hearing on the proposed 2024 budget for Finance.

“We are nearly 30% complete in our A&E [architectural and engineering] design. We experienced some delays because of the projected costs of the initial design that was requested,” she said.

Norita said they’re back at 30%, but they are looking to have at least 80% done by November and hopefully start construction by next year.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration awarded Finance $19.6 million in August 2021 for the construction of a new Economic Resiliency Center that’s needed to ensure continuity of government operations and support business growth. The EDA grant is expected to create 1,500 jobs. It was earlier reported that the award was intended to help CNMI build back from the damage caused by Super Typhoon Yutu in 2018.

Norita also disclosed that the Office of Insular Affairs recently awarded Finance $1.4 million for single audit and financial manager management activities.

She said this was a resource request that they asked OIA for some assistance. Included in that request was funding for forensic auditing and for professional services to help them catch up with their audit because they are two years behind.

“So we are very grateful [to] our federal partners in acknowledging just how much work the Department of Finance needs and supports,” she said.

With respect to the Procurement Office, it was recently relocated next to the Finance secretary’s Office on Capital Hill as the old Procurement Office is currently under renovation. Norita said there is a CIP contract routing for renovation of the Finance Secretary Building.

She said their FMIS, the Munis implementation, is 90% complete. “We are implementing the time and attendance or executive time for employees so that one will be going live soon,” Norita said.

She said the Customs Biosecurity’s online passenger declaration form project is 90% complete.

“This is for travelers coming into the CNMI. Instead of filling it out manually, this was a digitization project,” the secretary said.

At the Division of Revenue and Taxation, the biggest project right now is new tax system that was funded by Office of Insular Affairs through a grant. “So that is on the table for Revenue and Tax, set to go live next year, tax year 2024, starting off with state taxes,” she said.