THE state government awarded more than $116 million in construction and architecture contracts to local companies last month, with DORIC and Esslemont Cockram among the big winners.
Subiaco-based DORIC secured the largest contract, worth $90 million to expand Acacia Prison.
It involves the construction of accommodation for an additional 387 prisoners and associated infrastructure within the existing prison as part of a government strategy to increase prison capacity by 2,500 by 2015.
DORIC is also on the shortlist to win the Busselton Health Campus contract, worth about $118 million, while also bidding to construct a 35-storey office tower as part of the Old Treasury Building development.
Mid-sized building contractor Esslemont Cockram Construction was awarded a $19.6 million contract to construct the Challenger Institute of Technology’s main building at its Rockingham campus.
The company beat eight other tenders for the contract, including BGC Construction and Pindan Constructions.
Other contracts awarded last month included a $3 million deal with National Buildplan Group to create a new building at the FESA Kiara Fire and Rescue Services fire station on Morley Drive.
Construction on the building at the fire station is due to begin in the next month.
Wideglide Constructions was awarded a $2.2 million contract to construct a residential care facility in Newman for the Department of Child Protection.
Wideglide won the contract over four other builders, including Ricon Contractors and Pindan Contracting.
The Department of Finance also awarded a contract to Architects T&Z Pty Ltd worth $1.6 million to design the Banksia Grove senior high school.
The state government committed to building the $78 million school at the last election and the first stage of building, worth $45 million, will house year seven and eight students by 2015.
The school will ultimately hold up to 1,450 students when the second building stage is complete in 2018.
Len Buckeridge’s BGC Construction was awarded a $1.1 million contract to upgrade administration facilities at Medina Primary School.
BGC was announced as the successful bidder last week, beating 10 other tenders.
