The Province and Interior Health, in collaboration with Partnerships BC, have released a request for proposals (RFP) for the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC) building at Kelowna General Hospital.

The RFP follows the announcement of the shortlist in June. Three teams were selected from six that responded to the request for qualifications, which closed on May 9. The three teams selected to move forward to the RFP stage were:

• Alliance Health Group
• Jade Health
• Plenary Health

The RFP can be found on Partnerships BC's website at www.partnershipsbc.ca. Technical submissions from the shortlisted teams are due Dec. 20, 2011, with financial submissions due March 15, 2012. A preferred proponent will be selected by spring 2012, with construction getting underway in summer 2012.

The IHSC building is scheduled to open to the public in 2016. The IHSC building will include a brand new home for the Interior cardiac surgery program, as well as a new surgical suite, and support services, including a new medical device reprocessing department.

The successful team will be asked to design, build, finance and maintain the new IHSC building for a term of 30 years post-construction.

The IHSC will create a permanent home for the fifth provincial cardiac surgery program in B.C. - and the first one outside of Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Once complete, the cardiac services program will provide about 1,600 cardiac patients each year with cardiac care closer to home.

Contact:

Ministry of Health Communications
250 952-1889