Design and construction firms: building for Alaska and the nation.

• Author: Slaten, Russ
• Position: ALASKA NATIVE CORPORATIONS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Design and construction firms are the backbone to some of the state's most important economic and cultural drivers--Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs). ANCs are modeled to provide enduring opportunities and economic benefits to their shareholders by engaging in the full spectrum of business sectors including real estate, tourism, oil and gas, IT, education, government contracting, transportation, and resource development, along with architecture, engineering, and construction. A diversified business portfolio increases an ANC's chance to continue in perpetuity for its shareholders, but it also brings opportunities for its subsidiary companies to work together.

UIC Design Plan Build

Barrow-based Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC) shines a bright example of subsidiaries working together through its UIC Design Plan Build structure. UIC Design

Plan Build formed to offer concept to commissioning turnkey solutions for projects in nearly any geographic location.

"UIC Design Plan Build is a lot more creative," says Robert Luis, UIC Design Plan Build division general manager. "We have in-house professionals working together as opposed to separate companies with separate motivations. Our motivation is just to get the project completed. It simplifies it for the customer, releases them from liability, and speeds up the process--and through speeding it up, it may save the client some money as well."

Design Plan Build is formed around five UIC subsidiaries. Anchorage-based UMIAQ is a design firm that provides architecture, engineering, surveying, regulatory planning, environmental consulting, and permitting services, among others. Barrow-based UIC Construction LLC provides general contracting, concept design and estimation, pre-construction and planning, and best-value analysis services with an emphasis on Arctic construction. Tempe, Arizona-based Kautaq Construction Services LLC is an 8(a) certified general contractor with commercial and industrial design-build and design bid build capabilities. Anchorage-based Rockford Corporation specializes in pipe work, utilities, fueling systems, water and wastewater facilities, and site preparation and civil work.

"UIC Design Plan Build offers a complete design and construction package," Luis says. "We can cover all aspects of the project. We can permit it, purchase land if necessary, design and engineer it, and handle the pre-construction, construction management, the actual construction...