ROCKVILLE, MD. — The Mechanical Contractors Association of America has announced the four finalist teams that will make oral presentations of their written bid proposals during the next phase of the 2011-2012 Student Chapter Competition. The teams are from:
- California State University at Sacramento;
- Illinois State University;
- Milwaukee School of Engineering; and
- Southern Polytechnic State University.
The competition’s next phase will take place March 19 at MCAA 2012, the association’s annual convention. The convention will be held March 18-22 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
A panel of judges convened on January 12 to read, discuss, and score the written proposals submitted by 26 MCAA student chapters and a student chapter sponsored by the MCA of Hamilton in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In addition to the four finalists, proposals were submitted by:
- California State Polytechnic University at Pomona;
- California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo;
- California State University at Chico;
- Central Washington University;
- Colorado State University;
- Fairleigh Dickinson University;
- Florida International University;
- Iowa State University;
- Kansas State University;
- McMaster University (Canada);
- Northeastern University;
- Northern Kentucky University;
- Pennsylvania State University;
- Pittsburg State University;
- Oregon State University;
- Purdue University;
- University of Maryland, College Park;
- University of Nebraska – Lincoln;
- University of Wisconsin – Stout;
- University of Washington;
- Washington State University;
- Weber State University; and
- the Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Judges Kathleen McCauley of McCauley Mechanical Construction Inc., Bridgeview, Ill., James R. Jarvis of J.F. Ahern Co., Fond du Lac, Wis., Arnold “Woody” Woodall of W.L. Gary Co., Washington, D.C., and Troy Aichele of Stirrett-Johnsen Inc., Silverdale, Wash., evaluated and scored each written proposal’s overall quality (25%), project management and organization (25%), feasibility of construction and program schedules (25%) and accuracy/feasibility of conceptual costs (25%).
A different panel of judges will evaluate the oral presentations according to the following criteria: overall quality of the oral presentation (30%); feasibility of project management, organization and schedule (30%); accuracy and completeness of project costs (30%); and answers to the judges’ questions (10%).
Each finalist team will have 20 minutes to convince the judges that they are best qualified to perform the proposed work on the project — 15 minutes for a formal oral presentation, and 5 minutes responding to the judges’ questions. Each team’s standing will be determined on a combination of their oral and written scores.
This year’s competition is based on an actual project performed by the Marelich Mechanical Co. Inc., Hayward, Calif. The project involves the HVAC and plumbing systems work on the renovation and remodeling of a 165,000-sq.ft. historic building. The building, which is located in San Francisco, was transformed from a library into the Asian Art Museum.
Finalists will compete for a $5,000 first-place prize. The second-place team will receive $2,500, and each of the other teams will receive $1,000. All finalists will also take home a handsome trophy commemorating their achievement.
Additional information about this year’s competition is available from Ann Mattheis at [email protected].