Because of the pandemic, cities like New York are figuring out how to speed up the building process. Cutting out archaic, bureaucratic processes is becoming a must.
The Status Quo Has Got To Go
More efficient contracting regulations, set in motion because of the public health crisis, demonstrate how public projects can be started—and completed—much faster than usual. For example, in New York City:
The first of three COVID Centers of Excellence designed to meet the short- and long-term healthcare needs of patients recovering from COVID-19 opened to patients last week in the Bronx after the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) managed the construction, turning the facility over to the City’s public hospital system in just four months, at least one year faster than the original construction schedule.
Construction Dive reports that since March 2020, New York City’s DDC has been on a “blistering building campaign,” with officials crediting the speed to faster RFP processes, engagement of construction management firms, and utilization of a design-build framework. As a result of these new processes, in addition to the three new Centers of Excellence, in under one year, the DDC has:
- Built two field hospitals in Brooklyn and Queens totaling 1,100 beds for COVID-19 patients.
- Built 20 local COVID-19 testing sites, with another eight under construction and expected to be completed by the end of the year.
- Expanded four NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene laboratories and equipped them with negative air pressure handling to accommodate COVID-19 testing.
- Developed eight mobile testing trucks that NYC Health + Hospitals can deploy to COVID-19 hotspots as they arise.
Ready To Move Faster In 2021?
Whether you are a major general contractor or an up and coming electrical, plumbing or HVAC provider, you’ll need the flexibility—and backing—to manage your bid, performance and payment bonds faster on the go forward. With Colonial Surety Company as your partner, you’ll eliminate the back and forth typically associated with the bonding process.
Speed things up with a Partnership Account® from Colonial Surety Company. As a leading, national provider of surety bonds, Colonial offers a full-service solution to arm contractors with fast, digital and direct access to surety bonds—and real time financial intel too. With a Colonial Partnership Account® contractors:
- Gain control of their bidding and bonding, online and in real time.
- Utilize powers of attorney to seal and issue their own bid bonds—in minutes.
- Compete with fast, confidential bid bonds—no middleman.
- Order performance and payment bonds easily from a customized digital dashboard.
- Track bids and work on hand in real time with free management reports.
- Speak directly with Colonial’s lead underwriter as new opportunities emerge.
- Leverage data on a private Owner’s Dashboard to view surety lines, adjust work on hand, analyze bids—and grow.
Learn more and pre-qualify for a Partnership Account now!
Collaborating on a National Level
The pandemic has brought about speed on a national level too. For example, in the early months of the outbreak, the Army Corps of Engineers converted 38 venues across the country into emergency medical facilities. Construction Dive reports that this was possible because of a streamlined approach to contracting procedures and better collaboration between all of the agencies and stakeholders involved.
Building contractors across the country are preparing for a widely anticipated wave of critical infrastructure projects taking off in 2021. With a surety line of credit from Colonial Surety Company, you can get ready too. Enter just a few, bare essentials about your business in Colonial’s efficient online system and your company will receive, for free, Dun & Bradstreet scores. Use this financial intel for your business plan.
Contractors who pre-qualify for a surety line of credit, go on to upload a few more documents that help Colonial better understand their operation and underwrite the Partnership Account®. The entire process exemplifies Colonial’s commitment to contractors: simple, direct, and efficient, with value added services built right in.
Pre-qualify and Receive Free Credit Scores Now!
Founded in 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products for a wide range of industries and professions. Colonial is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company, U.S. Treasury listed, and licensed for business everywhere in the USA!