GCA Construction News Bulletin October 2022

THEDIRECTORS THEEDITORIALS

PRESIDENT

James Martinez

Guam Contractors’ Association

CHAIRMAN & PAST CHAIRMAN

Bill Beery

Tutujan Hill Group

VICE CHAIRMAN

Joe Roberto

East Island Tinting

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Matthew Hunter

Dylan Mechanical Construction Services

CONTRACTOR DIRECTORS:

Don McCann

Black Construction Corporation

Kathleen David Pacific Rim Constructors

Brian Holm

Hensel Phelps

Albert Smith SmithBridge Guam

Soraya Vongjalorn Vertex Guam

AJ Perez

Hawaiian Rock Products

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS:

Mark Cruz

MidPac Far East

Jose Garcia

First Hawaiian Bank

Camilo Lorenzo Matson Navigation

Geri Leon Guerrero

Adztech Advertising and PR

Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with Adztech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construc tion News Bulletin (CNB) monthly. Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA.

While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA or Adztech of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, production team, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers.

For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net.

Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671) 647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org

Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

THETEAM

PUBLISHER: James Martinez

PRODUCTION TEAM

LEAD: Geri Leon Guerrero

AD SALES: Jaceth Duenas

PRODUCTION: Alyssa Roces

Jason Davis

Christopher “Taco” Rowland

PHOTOGRAPHY: Jaceth Duenas

Ash Aguon

Christopher “Taco” Rowland

EDITOR: Adztech

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Joanna Rupley Sablan

Lucia Wood

R.D. Gibson

P.L. Diego Rodney “RJ” Ricarte

GCA STAFF: Desiree Lizama Elaine Gogue Francine Taitague Trevor Cruz

COVER:

Celebrating 30 Years on Guam, Smithbridge’s Quarry and Operations have come a long way.

ACADEMY

READY TO PUMP! RENT

Technical

I am honored to be taking on the role of President of the NAWIC Guam Chapter #381 for 2022-2023. As I enter into the role as President, I notice that our Chapter, has never been more relevant and important for those of us in and supporting the construction industry in Guam. We can again focus on many of the events that NAWIC is known for and have been supporting for the last 10 years.

I will strive to continue to enhance the success of women in construction, our chapter and work to empower those that look to come into the construction industry. Belonging to the Guam chapter is empowering women desiring to grow and succeed as leaders within the construction industry.

The Guam Chapter upholds NAWIC’s mission statement: The association is committed to championing women to impact the direction of the construction industry. Our chapter members carry this mission in all that we do. NAWIC also provides education, community, and advocacy for women. Memberships in the Guam Chapter provides opportunities for mentoring, networking, leader ship development, skill advancement, and learning about the latest industry trends.

I'm proud of our Chapter over the last year under Immediate Past President Joanne Messier. Joanne endeavored in providing more opportunities for chapter members. Joanne championed the core purpose of NAWIC, “ Strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry” through the importance of education, diversity, and inclusivity. In the year ahead, I will continue these initiatives.

Si Yu'us Ma'ase Lucia Wood

JOIN NAWIC GUAM CHAPTER 381 TODAY!

Want to know more about NAWIC Guam or join our organization? Contact us at nawicguam@gmail.com or DM us on Facebook (Nawic Guam) or Instagram (@nawicguam). www.nawic.org

NEWS LINE

US Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case on the Intentional Destruction of Employer Property

On Oct. 3, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear the case Glacier Northwest, Inc v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which will determine if employers can sue unions over damage to their property.

In June, ABC joined the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and four other employer organizations in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to request review of the Washington Supreme Court’s

decision in Glacier Northwest, which stated that the National Labor Relations Board preempts state tort suits, allowing unions and their supporters to intentionally destroy an employer’s property while claiming to be engaged in protected concerted activity.

The brief states that the decision “leaves employers without a remedy for the intentional destruction of their private property” and “encourages the intentional destruction of

employer property.” The brief also states that the decision “upsets the balance of power in labor disputes in favor of unions willing to engage in lawless acts and against law-abiding businesses,” and will result in harm to local communities and workers. The CDW and the other organizations argued that the Washington ruling conflicts with past U.S. Supreme Court precedents and rulings issued by multiple federal circuits and state high courts.

GSA Releases Request for Information on Buy Clean Initiative

On Oct. 4, the General Services Administration released a Request for Information regarding the Biden administration’s “Buy Clean” initiative. The initiative calls for federal agencies to prioritize the use of American-made, lower-carbon construction materials in federal procurement as well as federally assisted projects.

The initiative identifies four materials identified as the most carbon-intensive, which agencies will prioritize low-carbon selections for:

• Concrete

Steel

Glass

Asphalt

The RFI seeks to gather information on the current availability of construction materials and products with lower levels of embodied carbon, the ability of manufacturers to provide environmental product declarations and the impacts of the initiative on the industry. Responses to the RFI are due by Nov. 3 and can be submitted via GSA’s online form.

Wellness Is Our Mission For GCA Members

By Rodney “RJ” Ricarte

Our mission is to improve Guam Contractors Association employees’ health and well-being by promoting preventive and sustainable lifestyle choices with the TakeCare Wellness Center.

TakeCare is pleased to offer every GCA employee health care benefits that include wellness, fitness programs, and earned incentives throughout the year to help you be active, eat right, relax & unwind, and stay socially connected — TakeCare’s four pillars of health.

Nationally Accredited Wellness Programs

The TakeCare’s program utilizes the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) measure to apply industry best practices and evidence-based strategies proven to support and improve health outcomes. Our Wellness Center is the only health education and wellness program in Guam that is nationally-recognized and credentialed by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

Wellness Programs available to meet your needs

TakeCare’s Disease Management classes, programs, consultations, and workshops include: Disease Management Consultations that cover many devices such as blood pressure monitor, glucometer, and continuous glucose monitor; Evolt 360 Body Composition Analyzer; Quit Now! Nicotine Cessation - Free products such as Chantix-Zyban-Nicotine patches; Nutrition Counseling; Case Management; Prevent Type 2 Diabetes (T2D); and National Diabetes Prevention Program that is recognized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This program empowers members to achieve healthy behaviors and reduce risk factors, and offers health risk assessment (HRA) and biometrics screenings, health education classes, cancer prevention campaigns, and fitness programs.

Wellness and Disease Management Incentives

TakeCare provides wellness and disease management incentives up to $250 per eligible individual or $500 per eligible family per benefit period provided they meet the criteria stated under the incentive program. Health Risk Assessment (“HRA”), Health Education Workshops and Disease Management programs must be completed and done through TakeCare to be eligible for these incentives. And TakeCare provides fitness and outcome-based incentives up to $350 per eligible individual and $700 per eligible family per benefit period provided they meet the criteria stated under the incentive program.

Additional Incentives

Additional incentive options put more money in your pocket. Cash incentives can be earned by completing annual physical, vision, or dental exams, various health screenings, Virgin Pulse Health Check questionnaire, meeting selected health measurement goals, or achieving healthy outcomes. TakeCare GCA members have a choice of accessing 20 fitness partners on Guam including Paradise Fitness Center.

Get Fit with Self-Reporting Activities

TakeCare GCA members can earn TakeCare’s fitness incentive by self-reporting at least 30 minutes of an approved activity such as walking, jogging, running; rowing; swimming; and or biking. Track your activity using one of the approved fitness apps on your smart phone and upload information about the activity to earn the incentive.

This is just a brief overview of the wellness programs and incentives for GCA health care benefit program. The TakeCare Wellness Center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00am-6:00pm. To contact call (671) 646-6956 ext 7260 or email wellness@takecareasia.com.

Rodney “RJ” Ricarte is the TakeCare account executive for GCA. He can be contacted at (671) 487-7121 or rodney.ricarte@takecareasia.com.

Balanced LifestyleLive the with TakeCare

Ernest Aquino

Wellness Team Lead-TakeCare Wellness Center

Ernest is the Wellness Team Lead at TakeCare, specializing in the wellness, fitness and health education. He is also a certified lifestyle coach and facilitates the group prevention programs which includes the Prevent T2 Diabetes Prevention Program and the Balanced Lifestyle Kickstart Program.

The only nationally recognized wellness program on island with a proven track record. TakeCare’s Prevent T2 diabetes prevention program is fully recognized by the CDC.

Jennifer Artero, RN

Clinical Quality, Wellness and Contracting Manager; Diabetes Educator Jennifer Artero, MSN, RN has served our local community as a nurse educator successfully in large part due to her leadership skills and ability to engage clients. This involves having clinical experience and advanced certifications in diabetes theories, and testing. She inspires others to align with and work toward their goals and provides them with the tools and guidance needed to realize that vision is sustainable.

“I used to be 254 lbs with a 44” waistline. Now I’m proud to say that I am 218 with a 40” waistline. I can keep going on about doing things I love while remaining healthy.” – Richard Manley, 80 years old, Prevent T2 Participant

Community Outreach Disease Management Counseling

360 Body Analyzer

& Teen Workshops

& Wellness Workshops

T2 - Diabetes

For more information or to register for our programs, please contact our TakeCare Wellness Team at (671) 646-6956 ext. 7260, Monday through Friday from 8am - 5pm, or visit: https://takecarewellnesscenter.simplybook.me/ Or scan QR Code:

*All health education classes are FREE to TakeCare members unless otherwise specified.

30 YEARS

By: R.D. Gibson

Here is the cold, hard truth; and it might not be an easy thing to come to terms with: the 1990s were thirty years ago. Let that sit and marinade for a minute: a decade with grunge, hip hop and R&B, and the Spice Girls, tamagotchis and Beverly Hills 90210, mobile phones and the Internet taking off, a long list of conflicts around the world, a presidential impeachment, and Y2K. And here we are three decades later rebooting some of the same television shows and films.

Time moves fast. In the three decades since, mobile phones have taken over, social media is part of most daily lives, and instant streaming services for music, TV, and films all thanks to the growth and expansion of technology and the Internet.

Many of these events and so many more have left a mark in lives and communities throughout the world. When we look at the passage of time and the milestones of our communities, it is hard to overlook the community members who have made their mark and contributions to its growth. These are the members who have stuck it out through the good and definitely the worst of times.

This year, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Smithbridge Guam and their contributions to and milestones in Guam. On March 11, 1992, Smithbridge became incorporated and started their work on the island. “When we made the move to Guam back in 1992, we had a clear vision: to provide integrated construction solutions to military and private clients while creating meaningful connections, activities and services to the Guam community,” stated Dashelle Bailey, Group Manager – Strategy & Growth at Smithbridge Group. “Looking back, it’s been wonderful to see the momentum the team has built over the years — and that original vision remains just as important today,” added Bailey.

According to their website, Smithbridge Guam is part of a larger family business providing construction services throughout Australia and New Zealand for nearly 60 years. “Our family business approach enables us to engage with our community on a local level, while providing our clients high quality services and the largest available fleet in Guam,” it states on their site. Additionally, Smithbridge Guam is a leading “Guam construction subcontractor

providing integrated construction solutions to military and private clients.” Their site also states how they have the largest fleet of cranes and heavy equipment for hire on the island, as well as high-quality aggregate and construction materials from their quarry in Yigo.

Also on their website it states, “We think global and act local.” This provides a unique opportunity for members of their local team to work alongside globalexperts. “This wealth of knowledge and experience is what allows us to understand and provide innovative and pragmatic solutions for our clients’ technically intricate jobs,” it further states. “By investing in our people and machinery we have been able to diversify our portfolio and scope of work,” stated Bailey. This has led them to take on a variety of projects for clients locally and globally while building the biggest heavy equipment and cranes fleet for hire in Guam.

Their work in the last three decades has bestowed upon them many accolades, like Guam Contractors Association Excellence in Construction awards, including five in 2020. It was also an opportunity for Smithbridge Guam to take a stroll down memory lane and see their expansion. This included purchasing concrete assets and concrete plants, All Terrain cranes, and completing projects like the dredging of nearly 160,000 cubic meters of silt disposal, and the design and construction of a 130 meter retaining wall at ComNavMar. They were part of boat recoveries and lifts during the 1990’s and continue to support the marine industry today. With regard to community involvement, Smithbridge also created three crosses for Our Lady of Peace cemetery, and donated concrete barriers to Mongmong-Toto-Maite Village. Probably one of the most recognizable Smithbridge projects is the triangular shelter at a favorite local spot, Jeff’s Pirates Cove.

One of the biggest - if not the biggest - contributing factor to Smithbridge’s commitment to the community. “We are island proud and love supporting local government, charities, and associations,” Bailey stated, citing their numerous sponsorships of local organizations, like the Society of

American Military Engineers, Guam Contractors Association, Guam Rugby Club and the Korean Sports Council of Guam.

Even more is their dedication to hiring and supporting local employees, which Bailey shared has “been paramount to our success.” So much so, they launched the years of service program throughout the group. To Smithbridge - a family business - it goes without saying they want to celebrate their employees’ service and commitment. Bailey mentioned that acknowledging their team members’ achievements and service demonstrates the company’s appreciation and respect for the team members’ overall contributions to the company and engagement in their roles.

But, moreso, it’s about celebrating the relationships that the company has built with its team members.

“Over the long term we have built relationships and every person has a unique story and set of experiences,” Bailey started. “Work lives and personal lives become intertwined, we share joy in the good times and offer support through the hard times.” Additionally, Bailey cited how 30-percent of their staff have worked with the Smithbridge Group for more than five years - “a testament to our company culture and environment.”

Bailey added their motto is ANY JOB, ANYWHERE, ANY TIME. Smithbridge Guam continues to live up to that motto with their contributions to the community and growing with it. And, if that was their story for the last thirty years, imagine what it will be in the next thirty and beyond. Thankfully there is WiFi at most

places, and we no longer rely on pagers to contact each other, but hopefully there will not be any more unnecessary reboots.

Congratulations to the Smithbridge Guam family for thirty years of thinking globally and acting locally!

FROM GAS TO ELECTRIC ACCELERATING

By: P.L. Diego

On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R. 5376, into law. In essence, the legislation is a scaled-down version of the Build Back Better Act proposed by the Biden administration in 2021. One major point in the legislation establishes policies designed to promote and support domestic energy and transmission projects, with a goal of lowering costs for consumers and helping the U.S. meet long-term emissions goals.

The largest investment made by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is for energy security and climate change over the next ten years. It totals $369 billion and consists of the following business incentives and tax credits:

• Incentives to businesses to deploy lower-carbon and carbon-free energy sources.

• Tax credits for energy production and investments in wind, solar, and geothermal energies.

• Tax credits for investment in battery storage and biogas.

• Tax credits for investments in nuclear energy, hydrogen energy coming from clean sources, biofuels, and technology that captures carbon from fossil fuel power plants.

• Bonuses for companies based on worker pay and the manufacture of steel, iron, and other components in the U.S.

This new law is considered to be the most significant legislation to accelerate transportation electrification in U.S. history. Section 13401 includes requirements that Electric Vehicles (EV) be made with a certain percentage of minerals mined or processed within the U.S. or in nations with U.S. free trade agreements or recycled in North America. Section 13402 includes a $7,500 credit for new electric vehicles purchased and a $4,000 tax credit for used ones. Altogether, it is also considered to be a major win for consumers and businesses, but does pose challenges that need to and should be researched in detail.

Transitioning from owning and driving a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle is a big step. Before you charge ahead and purchase a new EV, do your research, and ask a lot of questions. Your responsible due diligence as an energy consumer and stakeholder on Guam, should aim to help you understand what you need to know to make an informed decision.

As Guam’s stand-alone public power utility Guam Power Authority (GPA) has been planning to accommodate the influx of and the demand for electric power and considerations as to what its utility infrastructure is necessary to meet the demand for individual and commercial EV charging needs across Guam. According to GPA, its early-stage EV Roadmap planning is completed. The utility is currently working alongside EV trade allies and partners to ensure Guam’s power infrastructure can and will meet future EV demand. Work underway includes developing charging rates, incentives, customer rebates,

and EV charging infrastructure pilot projects.

GPA is committed to helping customers gain more knowledge in order to manage their home EV charging needs. Trading-off being the owner of a combustible gas vehicle to becoming an electric vehicle owner comes with costs, which consumers need to explore in detail. (See 10 Questions to Ask Before You Buy an Electric Vehicle at https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/advice/questions-befor e-buying-an-electric-car)

Home owners who choose to become electric vehicle owners will need to build and bear the cost(s) to add infrastructure upgrades at home to support their electric vehicle charging activity. Some home electrical infrastructure improvement(s) will be absolutely necessary. Typically, a homeowner will hire and pay for a certified electrical engineer to design or draw up a plan that is specific to the home to accommodate EV charging.

Generally, EVs are charged on a single, dedicated circuit. There are two kinds of EV chargers geared toward use in the home-charging market. A Level 1 charger uses your typical 110-volt wall outlet circuit and requires 13-14 hours of charging. There is also a faster Level 2 charger that requires a 240-volt wall outlet and takes between 6-8 hours to fully charge. Ideally, customers will be empowered to choose, manage, and control their charging activities and achieve optimal results to fully enjoy the use of their electric vehicle.

GPA also must build new infrastructure to support individual and commercial electric vehicle charging brought onto its grid. GPA is in the process and will soon issue an RFP, to solicit for a partner, to test the Guam electric vehicle market needs. This provider will come to Guam, invest time, and build some of the initial infrastructure, wherein GPA will be able to test and determine how to make it work in the best way for all stakeholders.

According to John J. Cruz, P.E. and GPA Assistant General Manager of Engineering & Technical Services, GPA reached out to and is collaborating with Guam’s automobile industry and EV dealerships on and off-island, including charging servicers, to work together as a consortium with a common goal of success for all.

“Triple J Motors for example, has committed to installing 100 public chargers at business location parking lots or at shopping areas and GPA is committed to helping them to make sure that the infrastructure is there to support that. Triple J will put in the chargers and GPA will ensure that the utility puts in the (power) distribution infrastructure to make it all happen in the best possible way,” said Cruz.

Other private industries are seeing the addition of new EV infrastructure as a draw for customers and could consider installing EV charging stations in their parking lots as

public EV chargers in their parking lots could be a “perk” to draw customers to the shopping mall to complete their EV car charging while they shop. This will provide a level of convenience, as customers go about their daily-life business,” Cruz further added.

During the day, the islandwide power system is going to have a lot of renewable energy electricity being generated from solar photovoltaic plants, so GPA wants to push the charging of EVs to a time that is off-peak in the system. GPA is also looking at incentives that can be offered, to ensure customers can charge off-peak and benefit from it. Either in a preferential rate for certain times of day, under a time-of-use rate program wherein the utility sets a rate that is higher during peak power demand times and one that is less expensive during non-peak times so customers can save money. Additionally, there are applications available and GPA can build in controls into a customer’s meter, to optimize electrical vehicle charging so the customer will get the full charge needed, at the lowest pricing. GPA will likely use both approaches, so GPA builds more economy of efficiency in the way that it dispatches energy, ultimately benefitting the power system and all customers.

“EV penetration will increase on Guam with or without GPA’s intervention. However, GPA and its customers have a vested interest to ensure that EV charging does not add to GPA’s peak resulting in GPA having to quickly build additional costly generation onto the power grid. GPA’s interest is in the managed growth of EVs and GPA’s control over EV charging. Therefore, Guam’s power utility will manage the opportunities for cost savings on both the utility side and the customer side. GPA aims for a triple win including the win for customers, a win for our EV partners, and a win for the affordability, stability, and reliability of the GPA grid,” concluded Cruz.

(Attention readers: it is recommended to consult your tax advisor for specific questions and https://www.irs.gov/businesses/irc-30d-new-qualified-plug-in-electric-dri ve-motor-vehicle-credit

Cars

Energy

motor cycle

John

GPA

Residential

NEW

Commercial

$6,978,711.72 $33,587.82

ADD $256,540.00 $1,918.96 RENO $96,503.00 $1,113.08

NEW

Government

Warehouse/Storage

Utility

Solar

Elevator

$1,413,000.00 $13,596.41

ADD $319,909.00 $5,129.85 RENO $33,850.00 $5,129.85

$8,507,534.96 $34,166.22

$1,841,329.00 $13,117.92

$884,790.85 $9,538.76

$198,900.00 $2,293.5

Signage $3,070.00 $595.20

Demolition $53,000.00 $5,187.13

Clearing

Boring

$109,087.73 $2,243.47

$54,683.69 $1,333.83

“East

Peter Duenas Owner