The Interior Heart and Surgical Centre Project reached a critical milestone today with the announcement of the three proponents shortlisted following the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to design, build, finance and maintain the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC) Building.

Six proponent teams responded to the RFQ. Following evaluation, three teams were shortlisted:

• Alliance Health Group
• Jade Health
• Plenary Health

The IHSC Building will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to accommodate cardiac and inpatient surgical suites, support space and a new medical device reprocessing department. The facility will also be designed to allow for future expansion.

The IHSC Building is part of the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre Project, which includes the East Pandosy Clinical Support Building as well as renovations and fit-outs of existing buildings at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). The total value of the IHSC project is $448 million, with $357 million from the Province and $91 million from the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District.

The IHSC Building will be constructed at the corner of Pandosy Street and Rose Avenue. The existing Pandosy building will be deconstructed to make way for the new IHSC Building.

Construction of the IHSC Building will begin in the summer of 2012 and will be undertaken as a public private partnership. The IHSC Building is scheduled to open in 2016, with the final phase of the IHSC Project to be completed by 2017.

The final capital cost of the IHSC Building will be confirmed once the procurement process is complete and a contract is signed with the successful proponent. All health services will be funded by the public sector through Interior Health, in keeping with the Canada Health Act.

The IHSC Project is part of government's $2.1-billion investment in health capital projects across the province.

Quick Facts:

• Over the life of the project, approximately 2,800 construction-related jobs are expected to be created as a result of the overall IHSC project.
• The new building will be designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards, and will maximize the interior and exterior use of wood, in keeping with the Province's Wood First Act.
• The Interior cardiac transition plan was initially announced in March 2009, following through on the Province's commitment to bring cardiac services to KGH by 2012.
• In November 2009, KGH performed its first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI - also known as angioplasty), as part of the transition plan.
• Renovations are currently underway to allow for heart surgeries to be done at the current site by 2012.
• Once fully operational, the program is expected to see 600 cardiac surgeries performed, along with almost 1,000 PCI procedures a year.

Learn More:

Visit the project website: www.buildingpatientcare.ca

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line) Cam McAlpine

Communications Officer
Interior Health
250 801-1741

BACKGROUNDER

June 21, 2011 Ministry of Health

Interior Health

Proponent team profiles

Six teams responded to the RFQ to design, build, finance and maintain the IHSC Building at Kelowna General Hospital. After a thorough evaluation of the submissions against the criteria outlined in the RFQ, three teams were shortlisted. In alphabetical order, they are:

Team: Alliance Health Group

* Lend Lease Canada Inc.

* Gracorp Capital Advisors Ltd.

* Graham Design-Build Services

* Stantec Inc.

* Honeywell International Inc.

* Black & McDonald Ltd.

Team: Jade Health

* VINCI Investments Limited

* VINCI Construction

* Ledcor Design/Build (BC) Inc.

* Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.

* Arup Canada Inc.

* VINCI Facilities

* Black & McDonald Ltd.

Team: Plenary Health

* Plenary Group

* HOK Architects

* CEI Architecture Planning Interiors

* PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc

* Johnson Controls Inc.

* Black & McDonald Ltd.

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Cam McAlpine
Communications Officer
Interior Health
250 801-1741