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The Interior Health of British Columbia, Canada, has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to develop a new patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH).

The RFP follows the announcement of the shortlist in December 2014.Three teams were selected from six that responded to the request for qualifications (RFQ), which closed on November 6, 2014. The three teams selected to move forward to the RFP stage are the following:

• EllisDon Infrastructure: respondent team lead: EllisDon Capital Inc.; equity providers: EllisDon Capital Inc., Ontario Pension Board; design-builder: EllisDon; architect: Parkin Architects Limited; service provider: Cofely Services Inc., EllisDon Facility Services Inc.

• Plenary Healht: respondent team lead: Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd; equity providers: Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd, PCL Investments Canada Inc.; design-builder: PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.; architect: CEI Architecture; service provider: Johnson Controls Canada L.P.

• Tandem Health Partners: respondent team lead: Gracorp Capital Partners LP, Balfour Beatty Investments, LP; equity providers: Gracorp Capital Partners LP, Balfour Beatty Investments, LP; design-builder: Graham Design Builders LP; architect: Stantec; service provider: Balfour Beatty Communities, LP, Ainsworth Inc.

The competitive selection process is being managed by Partnerships BC. It is anticipated that a preferred proponent will be selected in early 2016, with construction to follow. The new facilities are expected to be operational by 2019.

The project includes two phases:

• Phase one is construction of the new patient care tower which will include an ambulatory care centre, surgical services centre, 84 medical/surgical inpatient beds in single patient rooms, a new medical device reprocessing unit, and space for the UBC Faculty of  Medicine program. The tower will be approximately 26,700 square metres (287,500 square feet).

• Phase two involves the renovation of vacated areas in the current hospital, including increasing the size of the emergency department to nearly four times its current size.

The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, and maintain (DBFM) basis. The contract period will be 30 years.

The total budget for the project is CAD$325 million (US$260.9 million). It will be funded jointly by the provincial government, with CAD$122 million provided by the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional Hospital District and CAD$20 million provided by the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton stated:

"Today's Request for Proposals announcement brings us yet another step closer to starting construction on the new patient care tower. This project has been a major focus for myself, members of the South Okanagan and Similkameen along with families and health-care workers. It is exciting that we are taking another concrete step towards improved care for the region."

We have recently reported about several hospital PPP projects in Canada:

• Toronto East General Hospital new Patient Care Tower
• St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital's redevelopment (Build - finance)
• New patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital
• Joseph Brant Hospital's expansion and modernization DBF
• McGill University Health Center's (MUHC) Glen site hospital complex PPP project
• ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development DBF Project