By Jim Misunas
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
LARNED — A week of planning achieved the goal of reaching a $18.0 million price tag for the proposed Pawnee Valley Community Hospital.
The Pawnee County Commission heard construction planning updates Wednesday morning coordinated by the Health Facilities Group and Murray Company for the proposed hospital.
The Wichita Health Facilities Group is the architectural firm for PVCH. Murray Company of Overland Park is the construction firm for the $18.0 million project.
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital is using “construction management at risk.”
CMR is described as a project delivery process where a contractor is engaged by the owner during the design process to assist in pre-construction project management support services, and then acts as a general contractor during the construction process. The process offers a “guaranteed maximum price,” for the project. Proposed CMR fees are $992,825 for Murray.
Pawnee County commissioners Kathy Bowman and John Haas gave their blessing for reaching their stated construction goal of $18.0 million. The latest budget summary sliced $232,560 off the previous proposal.
“You’ve done an excellent job with what we asked you to do,” Haas said. “What you have designed is phenomenal. It’s a usable facility that will be asset to the community. It’s a functional hospital that meets the needs of the community today and tomorrow.” 
The next scheduled meeting before the commissioners will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 1 at the Pawnee County Courthouse. That will be a meeting when Marry Company presents a “guaranteed maximum price.”
Philip Schultze, Murray Company, unveiled an original proposal that was calculated at $18.25 million. But $263,407 was cut from the mechanical and electrical budget line. David Wright, Health Facilities Group vice president, asssited with the presentation.
Several building changes and program changes lowered the cost. Shell space was deleted for two patient rooms and one patient room was deleted.
New chillers and a new 650 kw generator were deleted from the plans. An existing chiller and existing 450 kw generator from Pawnee Valley Community Hospital would be used. Rooftop air-cooled units would be used in place of the air handlers and chillers. Site changes included reducing the number of parking stalls and a revised loading dock. An additional 116 parking spots will be installed.
“We got aggressive and went below the mark,” Schultze said. “We accomplished the goal we set out to do. We’re confident the bids will come out well.”
Schultze identified six alternates that could be added if bids are lower than expected. He said a recent bid came in 1 percent under the projected cost.
The alternates are Add finish and Mechanical, electrical for two patient rooms, $187,999;  Add shell space for two patient rooms, $89,399; Delete corrugated metal siding for brick, $86,488; South parking extension, $16,065; Snow melting system, $15,380; Meccho shades, $7,382.  
The companies have set an August 5 deadline for design development.
Matt Heyn, PVCH administrator, said it appears a groundbreaking ceremony would be planned in late September or early October if all goes as planned.
Murray Company has done work for the Hays Medical Center, Rush County Medical Hospital in LaCrosse and the Kiowa County Medical Hospital in Greensburg.