David Ramsay

One of the other areas of concern was the fact that the design has always been something that hasn’t been... We haven’t really arrived at a finalized design. I know the Minister just last week was talking about there being some components to that design that still are outstanding. The question I would have is: how can the government sign a contract with this construction company with those issues outstanding? Because in my experience, Mr. Chairman, going back to my days as a city councillor, when you start, design changes on the fly, it costs you nothing but money and it gets very expensive...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Your committee would like to entertain Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 4, 2009-2010, followed by the Departments of Justice and Human Resources, in that order. Thank you.

I understand and appreciate the fact that we need to stabilize the funding and move this thing along, but like I said, at the end of the day, I think those who didn’t deliver what they were supposed to deliver, whatever recourse the government has to ensure that happens, I think we should pursue it with vigour, Mr. Chairman.

The other question I have: this contract, and it hasn’t been signed as of yet with this company, and I suppose now that you’re going to make this document public it’s probably public knowledge that you’re close to signing or have signed a construction contract with one...

I’d like to ask the Premier who was on the review team reviewing those RFPs.

On a construction infrastructure project like the Deh Cho Bridge, I’m just wondering, in terms of management, construction management, corporate management, things like that, typically what would a project like that encounter in terms of a percentage of cost. If we’re looking at close to $30 million on construction management, construction overhead, to me that number seems a little bit inflated and it’s close to 15 percent of the total project costs. I’m just wondering, is that industry norm or standard or how do we explain that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to continue asking questions about sole-source contracts that the government has recently entered into. I guess the first question that I probably should ask the Premier about is I’m wondering if the contract to BDK Consulting and Communications for work provided for the cultural component of our participation at Vancouver 2010, was that contract sole sourced and how much was it for?

I thank Mr. Neudorf for that. On the breakdown of the $15 million, though, if you look at the projected estimate, February 2010, if $5.5 million is going toward interest, where’s the other $9.5 million going? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works whether or not his Cabinet colleagues are all fully aware of the policies that are on the Public Works website when it comes to sole sourcing contracts, and whether or not they have actually read that section of the website. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

I thank the Minister for that. The next question I’d have for the Minister: in sole-sourcing contracts, when sole-sourcing contracts are being considered, I’m just wondering if the Minister can let me know if that’s considered to be a best practice by the department. Thank you.