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Fair contracting statement okayed by trustees

June 30, 2004

KALAMAZOO--In business action at their June 30 regular meeting, Western Michigan University trustees authorized a statement of the University's contracting policies and signed off on the construction and lease of a maintenance addition.

Members of the Board of Trustees approved a Statement of Fair Contracting Commitment, a document outlining WMU's policies governing construction projects. Created in response to ideas shared by representatives of the local Building Trades union, the document aims to give contractors a better understanding of the scope of WMU's rules and regulations in summary form, as well as the University's interest in enforcing them on construction projects. The summary document includes information on bidder qualifications; contract specifications such as licensing, insurance and bonding; and enforcement of contract requirements. The statement will be disseminated to contractors through the University's Request for Proposal process.

In presenting the report to trustees, WMU Vice President for Business and Finance Bob Beam said it is hoped that the additional information will lead to a better bid environment for contractors and fewer difficulties during the construction process.

In other business action, trustees authorized members of the administration to execute a ground lease agreement with the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital for a maintenance addition to WMU's existing Campus Services Building on the Oakland Drive Campus. As a result of expansion on that campus, the existing KPH maintenance building will be razed. The agreement, which will run for at least 20 years, calls for KPH to construct a 5,000-square-foot maintenance addition at its own expense, with the ground on which it sits leased to the hospital for $1 annually.

Media contact: Cheryl Roland, 269 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

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