The British Columbia government announced yesterday the three teams selected to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process to design, build, partially finance and maintain the Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) project. Seven teams participated in te RFQ process, but the selected teams are the following:

• BC Community Partners,
• Brookfield-EllisDon-Fengate Justice Partners, and
• Plenary Justice

RFP submissions are due by fall 2013, and the selection of the successful bidding team and the signing of a fixed-price, performance-based project agreement is expected by early 2014. Construction is expected to commence immediately afterwards, with the new OCC ready to open in the south Okanagan by 2016.

The Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) reached another major milestone yesterday with the signing of agreements between government and the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). The contracts secure the future of the OCC project by laying out the details of the land lease and utilities service for a 60-year period, plus an option for an additional 20.

The 378-cell, high-security facility is the centrepiece of BC Corrections' second-phase capital expansion plan, and follows the $185-million first phase - the largest capital expansion in BC Corrections' history.Source: BC Government