Greeley contractor wins Justice Center deal

The contractor that built the Colorado Convention Center and the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Building has been selected to build Denver's $378 million Justice Center.

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is still negotiating terms of the contract to build the detention facility and the courthouse included in the Justice Center.

The Greeley-based firm beat out JE Dunn Construction Co. for the detention facility, and Mortenson, PCL Construction Services Inc. and the Weitz Co. for the courthouse contract.

"They were the only firm that submitted on both sides," said James Mejia, Justice Center project manager. "They came with a proposal where if they got both projects, there were substantial savings. That's what persuaded us to go with both and take advantage of economies of scale and pricing."

Mejia said he can't disclose the bid amount until a contract is signed.

Ehrlich pledges $338M for school construction; Dems ask for more

BALTIMORE - Gov. Robert Ehrlich is pledging to include the same amount of money for school construction in his upcoming budget that was in the budget for the current fiscal year - an amount that Democrats and advocacy groups quickly criticized as inadequate.

Ehrlich will commit $338 million for school construction in the budget for fiscal year 2008, he said Thursday at the site of a new high school in Ijamsville. For the fiscal 2007 budget, Ehrlich initially pledged $281 million, but subsequent negotiations with the General Assembly brought the total to $338 million.

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, a Democrat running against Ehrlich, has pledged to include $400 million in school construction funding in his initial budget. In his recent debates with Ehrlich, O'Malley argued that too many Maryland children are attending classes in temporary trailers.

Mobile Home, Big Rig Involved In Fatal Crash On 95

(CBS) BLYTHE, Calif. Part of Highway 95 was closed Tuesday after a fatal accident involving a mobile home and a big rig, according to the California Highway Patrol. The three-vehicle accident occurred on the southbound Highway 95 outside Blythe at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday morning. The Riverside County Coroner's Office was called after reports of a deceased person that was "completely trapped" in one of the three vehicles involved, according to the CHP. The crash initially closed both the north and southbound lanes of Highway 95, according to the CHP. A SigAlert was issued after 9 a.m., indicating a "long term closure" of "one to two hours." Southbound traffic was rerouted through the Agnes Wilson Bridge to reconnect with the highway in Arizona, according to the CHP. Blythe CHP dispatchers could not immediately provide additional details.

Construction Software includes estimating database tools.

October 23, 2006 - Integrated financial and operations software, Sage Timberline Office v9.4 is designed for construction and real estate industries. Program offers setup and database builder wizards as well as quick-launch platform that accelerates set-up for common jobs and contracts. Workflow Centers integrate business processes and provide access to frequently performed tasks, while Document Management module allows single point of entry for jobs. .

GSA contractor to pay $98 million in settlement of fraud case

The government will recover $98.5 million from a software contractor charged with providing fraudulent prices during negotiations that allowed the company to sell to agencies through the General Services Administrations federal supply schedules program. .

Takeda Celebrates US Growth with Grand Opening of New Home Office

DEERFIELD, Ill., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. celebrate today the grand opening of the companies' new, 70-acre corporate home office in Deerfield, Ill. Several representatives from the companies' Japanese parent company, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, will join local dignitaries and employees on-site at One Takeda Parkway to commemorate Takeda's history and growth in the U.S.

"We are celebrating yet another milestone for Takeda. In just eight years, the company quickly grew in the United States from three employees to more than 3,000, establishing itself as the one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in the United States," said Mark Booth, president of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.

Army punts on Iraq contractor census

An Army effort to count the number of contractors working or living in Iraq has foundered, and a spokesman acknowledged that the census, when complete, will not meet the standards set out when it was requested.

The Office of Management and Budget in May forwarded agencies a call for data from the Army Central Command and the international forces in Iraq. It asked that they collect survey information on contractor personnel based in Iraq, including data on the camp or base at which contractors are located; the company and agreement under which work is performed; services such as mail, emergency medical care or meals obtained from the military; and whether the contractors carry weapons.

The initial data request gave a June 1 deadline. But since then, the Pentagon has repeatedly said the data was not yet available, and on Friday, an Army spokesman acknowledged that the information is not likely to be reported as originally requested.