GCA Construction News Bulletin August 2013

Guam Contractors’ Association

NEWS BULLETIN Vol.54 Issue 8AUGUST 2013

A Heartfelt FarewellA Heartfelt Farewell

Construction Headline14S.A.M.E.

COMMITTEE UPDATE

FEATURE STORY

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

NAWIC NEWS

SMALL BUSINESS

AROUND THE BENCH

MEMBER BENEFITS

610141822242628

Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with AdzTech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly. Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA. While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers. For more information about adver-tising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at [email protected]. Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 718 N. Marine Corps Drive,Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam.

To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671)647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: [email protected]

Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 718 N. Marine Drive Corps Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam.

PUBLISHER:James Martinez

SALES & MARKETINGDIRECTOR:Geri Leon Guerrero

AD SALES:Tom Mendiola

PRODUCTION:Geri Leon GuerreroWilliam Tenorio

PHOTOGRAPHERS:Christopher “Taco” Rowland

EDITOR:Adztech

THETEAMTHEDIRECTORS THEEDITORIALSPRESIDENTJames A. Martinez, GCA

PAST CHAIRMANRobert Salas, Landscape Management Systems

CHAIRMAN - ELECTTom Anderson, Black Construction Corpora-tion

VICE CHAIRMAN - ELECTArt Chan, Hawaiian Rock Products

SECRETARY/TREASURERJohn Sage, WATTS Constructors

CONTRACTORS DIRECTORS:Narci Dimaoala, Amazon Construction

Juno Eun, Core Tech International

Tom Nielsen, Maeda Pacific Corporation

Tom San Nicolas, dck pacific guam LLC

John Robertson, AmOrient Contracting

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS:Paul Calvo, Calvo’s Insurance Underwriters

Carlo Leon Guerrero, M80 Office Systems Inc.

Patty Lizama, Pacific Isla Life

Ray Yanger, Matson Navigation

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T

your visionour realityAt Hawaiian Rock Products, we are always ready to meet your construction needs. We have a fleet of over 200 construction vehicles and a workforce of over 300 employees. We operate state of the art facilities, strategically located throughout the island with the capacity to fulfill any project size requirements. Our vast fleet of equipment continues to expand along with the growing needs of the industry. We are here to provide you with the quality products and services you need, when you need them.

Building The Marianas Since 1958

2008 Business Laureate

13-HRP-007 GCA “Your Vision”

HUBZONECERTIFIEDGuam

Phone: (671) 632-3424/26/27/28Fax: (671) 632-2824

[email protected]

SAIPANPhone: (670) 235-3500/01/02

Chalan Lau Lau, [email protected]

Main Office: VANCOUVER, WAPhone: (360) 694-5195 or (503) 283-3151

1701 West 31st Street, Vancouver, WA [email protected]

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REBAR FABRICATIONCUT and BEND

TWO TYPES OFROOFING TIN

ANY LENGTH UP TO 60FtMade in GUAM, USA


CONWOOD PRODUCTSINC.

www.conwoodproducts.comSince 1985

RENTALHEAVY

CHASSISSHIP HEAVY LOADS WITH NO PENALTY

4 AXELS

CONSOLIDATED SHIPPER

GU

AM

P

OWER AUTHOR

ITY

POWER TO SERVE

who ?

HUBZONECERTIFIEDGuam

Phone: (671) 632-3424/26/27/28Fax: (671) 632-2824

[email protected]

SAIPANPhone: (670) 235-3500/01/02

Chalan Lau Lau, [email protected]

Main Office: VANCOUVER, WAPhone: (360) 694-5195 or (503) 283-3151

1701 West 31st Street, Vancouver, WA [email protected]

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REBAR FABRICATIONCUT and BEND

TWO TYPES OFROOFING TIN



CONWOOD PRODUCTSINC.

www.conwoodproducts.comSince 1985

RENTALHEAVY

CHASSISSHIP HEAVY LOADS WITH NO PENALTY

4 AXELS

CONSOLIDATED SHIPPER

-

Naval Medicine has a long, rich history on Guam; beginning with the arrival of Surgeon Philip Leach and Assistant Surgeons Mark V. Stone and

November 2nd 1954. In 1965, the hospital began receiving casualties from

60 years of serving both military and civilian families, the current Guam Naval Hospital facility will retire next year.

SAME Guam Post Field TourJuly 18, 2013

More can be read about Guam’s Naval Hospital history at: www.med.navy.mil/sites/usnhguam/information/Pages/commandhistory.aspx

“...Preserving and protecting our environment, while ”.spoort ruo rof erac ytilauq tsehgih eht gnirusne

Designed to meet LEED standards; scheduled to achieve LEED Silver

Naval Hospital Replacement Project. WWO (a joint venture between Watts, Webcor and Obayashi) has been constructing the new facility which is being built to accommodate both

is scheduled to be operational by early 2014.

S.A.

M.E

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ATE

6 | AUGUST2013 CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN www.guamcontractors.org

To join SAME Guam Post, log on to SAME.org and click on “Membership” at the top of the home page.

At it’s completion, estimated in early 2014, the new facility will encompass approximately 282,000 square feet; ~42 In-patient beds ~6 ICU beds, ~4 Modern ORs, ~2 C-section rooms ~Full diagnostic imaging with MRI capabilities ~Central energy plant ~Improved; convenient patient parking access

www.guamcontractors.org CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN AUGUST2013 | 7

S.A.M.E.UPD

ATE

Our Commitment to Guam, Micronesia and

the Philippines Runs Deep

2012 Excellence in Construction First Place Overall Project Award

2012 GCA CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR!

Black Construction Corporation Telephone 671.646.4861/5 www.blackconstructionguam.com

of the physicals ended up showing some colorblindness. As much as my wife may disagree I can see some colors!! But that caused me to go with what we refer to as restricted line community, those areas that don’t require a strong color perception. Obviously in navigation and other aspects of the Navy, you have got to see colors appropriately to do the job. That caused me to look at other career choices within the Navy and I learned about the Civil Engineer Corps. The more I dug into it and learned what it was all about, I began to realize how it fit my personality from growing up on a farm, being around machinery, doing work on the land and the buildings that we had. I soon realized I should have studied engineering in the first place and was probably more fitted for that discipline. So hence, fate or otherwise I ended up going in the engineering direction. I eventually transitioned from being a midshipman, and became commissioned as an officer in the Navy upon graduation in 1986.” Soon after, ENS Heckmann continued his education at the Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officer School in Port Hueneme, California.

CAPT Heckmann was asked if he ever gave thought to the idea of looking at the private sector for pursuing an engineering career. His response: “I was excited to start my military career, see what it was all about after going through four years of various courses taught by Navy officers and hearing their stories. It makes you want to go and experience your own Navy stories, get your own sea stories, and it filled me with excitement. My first duty station was in California, Moffet Field, Naval Air Station, near San Francisco in the Silicon Valley. It provided an exposure to the aviation part of the Navy and I could see how we, as engineers, facilitated the operational side of the Navy. So I did not have a strong inkling of leaving military service. I enjoyed it. It was a new experience plus I knew I would go to various locations around the world. I think that is also what enticed my wife and I to stay in. The next duty station we targeted was overseas in Japan and spent three years in Sasebo. Its adventures like that that kept me going in this Navy way of life.”

From there, CAPT Heckmann completed a number of deployments all over the world. These include Port Hueneme in California, Somalia during Operation Restore Hope and a small deployment to Guam in 1993 in which he remembers meeting Seabee Betty. This was followed by a full deployment to Crete, Greece, then Graduate School at University of Washing-ton in Seattle and back to Port Hueneme to teach acquisition courses and later as academic director. From there he went back

times. A very large AOR (Area of Respon-sibility), it encompassed everything from Maine down to North Carolina and covered all Navy and Marine Corps activities in between (with exception of the DC area). It also added the finishing touches to CAPT Heckmann’s broad ranging experience prior to becoming Commanding Officer of NAVFAC Marianas.

That brings the Heckmann story back to where we started but we must first back track to mention his family.

John Heckmann married the former Lisa Kirk of Maquoketa, Iowa in 1985, a year before he graduated from Iowa State. John and Lisa have two daughters. Hannah is eighteen, has graduated from Guam High School this year and will enter college in the fall. Elizabeth is 14 and will enter High School after the family settles into the DC area.

So what is next? In handing over the reins of command to his relief, CAPT Glenn Shepherd, at the Change of Command, CAPT Heckmann has the task of trying to do a “humongous data dump” on all of the things he has accomplished over the last couple of years and of that what remains to be done. For instance, how to do business here on Guam while maintaining important

to the Seabee battalion with deployments to Puerto Rico and Okinawa. At the Navy Personnel Center in Millington, Tennessee, he was a Detailer whose job it was to write orders for people’s next assignments. This put him in charge of writing orders for the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, the Seabees, the Seals, the Salvage Divers and the Explosive Ordnance Demolition (EOD) guys. CAPT Heckmann thus learned a bit about all the other communities he was responsible for. Following that assignment he became the Public Works officer at same location and then went on to DC at the Navy Yard working at NAVFAC headquarters. That was at a very unique time for NAVFAC. His task was to develop an operational plan for combining the old PWCs and the old engineering field activities together. This was a major transformation for the Navy. For Guam, it meant that OICC and PWC both went away leaving NAVFAC Marianas (Facility Engineering Command) in its place. CAPT Heckmann stationed at headquarters at the time, was in the midst of helping that unfold. Under the leadership of CAPT, now Admiral, Boone as Commanding Officer, it started a new era of how NAVFAC changed the way it was doing business in Guam, which is still going on today. By combining the elements of the contracting and engineering side with that of the maintenance and utility side, orchestrating what was needed to get things done became easier. Regarding this

change, CAPT Heckmann states “I am still a very strong proponent and believe we did a good thing back then. It was painful to go through and it was challenging to make that transformation but in the end it was the right thing to do…bringing them both together made a lot of sense. It created some effi-ciencies but it also created a lot of synergy that we have been taking advantage of over the past years.” After that, CAPT Heckmann recalls “I had the honor of going to the Naval Support Facility in Thermont, Maryland doing Presi-dential Support at Camp David. It was a dif-ferent type of tour but also very important, frankly. I really enjoyed doing that unique duty.” Upon completion of this tour in 2007, CAPT Heckmann was elevated to the rank of Captain.

Other interesting assignments include being Commanding Officer of Camp Lem-onnier, an old French foreign legion camp in Djibouti, Africa, just north of Somalia. The US had leased it from the Djiboutian government to support the local militaries in an effort to discourage the spread of Al Quida influence. The job involved running a complete installation, producing their own power and water. Life became better after converting 20-foot containers to living accommodations and moving out of tents. Afterwards, CAPT Heckmann went to work for NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, as both the Op-erations Officer and the XO at two different

relationships and how to best continue the reputation of NAVFAC Marianas here on the island while being a good neighbor to all the other island residents. “It’s a big task so I want to make sure I am preparing Capt Shepherd to step into this role and effortlessly continue what I tried to continue from my predecessor.” From Guam, CAPT Heckmann returns to NAVFAC headquarters at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC. There, he will be Opera-tions Officer for the worldwide NAVFAC organization. Among other things, he will take command of an organization tasked with sorting out how NAVFAC does business going forward. What he accomplished on Guam now needs to be applied across all of NAVFAC. That will be his new challenge back at headquarters. He noted, “Hopefully I can bring all of the experience I have gained here locally and from this command and take the lessons learned from working with this community to influence how we make decisions back at headquarters.”

With 27 years in the Navy, CAPT Heckmann was asked whether he would continue his career in the Navy beyond the 30 year mark. He responded: “I think I’ll be forced to retire unless someone unwisely tries to promote me to flag officer… I am

reaching that point where I have got to make a decision of what I want to do for the rest of my life, or (I joke) what I want to do when I grow up! I have to work out with my family and decide if I focus on a new job and wherever that may take us, like the Navy has done for so many years, or if I focus on the location and then try to find the job that will fit that location. I don’t know yet. But that’s what I’m going to try to figure out while I’m back at NAVFAC headquarters.”

The Guam tour of duty for CAPT John V. Heckmann, Jr, PE as Commanding Officer, NAVFAC Marianas, came to an end on 14th of August at the Change of Command in which he was relieved by CAPT Glenn A. Shephard. Members of the Guam Post, American Society of Military Engineers were invited to attend the ceremony and many did. CAPT Heckmann served as Acting President for the Guam Post for one year then as President for his final year on Guam. Members of the Post acknowledge that CAPT Heckmann was the most active and did more to restructure the organization for future growth than any of his predecessors of recent time. He will be missed not only as the CO of NAVFAC MAR but also as the leader of the SAME Guam Post.

CAPT Heckmann took Command of NAVFAC Marianas on 20th July 2011 relieving CAPT Peter Lynch at a similar Change of Command ceremony. Whereas CAPT Lynch and his predecessor CAPT Paul Fuligni led the effort toward a military buildup on Guam to facilitate the movement of about 8,700 members of the Marine Corps plus families from Camp Futenma on Okinawa to Guam, CAPT Heckmann’s job became very different. He was here when the Record of Decision was signed in September 2011. It first appeared that he would be implementing one of the most aggressive military building programs of the modern era – something on the order of $11 Billion to over $20 Billion. Those of us that were here at the time, witnessed with him, the delay in signing of the Programmatic Agreement and the negative impact from actions of the so-called Fab5. The Senate Armed Services Committee led by the Hon-orable Senators Carl Levin, James Webb and John McCain placed a hold on any U.S. or Japanese funding to be used for the relocation of Marines to Guam until certain

conditions were met. These conditions are well known to members of the Guam Contractors Association who were hurt financially by suspension of the program.

Instead of presiding over an unprecedented engineering-construction program, he was required to reverse the increased technical and administrative staffing hired locally or transferred to Guam from other Navy installations. CAPT Heckmann recalled: “There was still an expectation at the time of my arrival, that the original Marine Corp build up plan was going to unfurl and go gangbusters…a short time after arrival I began realizing it’s not unfolding like everyone thought placing a unique hardship on this command because they had been building up in staff over the previ-ous year. And so we were facing kind of a fiscal crisis…unable to afford the number of people that we had in fiscal year 2012. It was very challenging but it allowed me to get engaged at a very personal level with a lot of the employees. It was a very emotional issue and one that I took very seriously and agonized over, so we worked hard at it.” Working hard to find a solution eventually paid off. Though some positions were off-island, they searched throughout NAVFAC, NAVSUP, NAVAIR and any other command looking for openings. CAPT Heckmann found ways to reshape the organization and was able to retain many jobs that would otherwise have been lost. “As challenging as it was, I look back thinking that we did it – we accomplished our objective, we mitigated the impacts to a tremendous extent. I think that was a major success in the first year I was here.” CAPT Heckmann was asked about the year to come. He responded: “In trying to prepare for fiscal year 2014, we solicited from anyone and everyone ideas on what can be done. We don’t want to just go out with the attitude that we can do the same mission with less money – that really doesn’t work. We have to rethink how we are going to do our business. This is going to be challenging when we have been doing our business for a certain way for a number of years and now change. We need a dramatic change in how we do business but at the same time, we need to do our due diligence in protecting the tax payer investments that are being made

in the military. So it’s troublesome for our employees to make sure we are on the right path…that the money we get in our budgets is spent wisely.” Just prior to the interview on 7th August, CAPT Heckmann was able to announce to all civilian employees of NAVFAC Marianas that the furloughs brought on by sequestration was ending early after six days instead of the eleven days previously announced.

CAPT Heckmann was asked whether he was brought up in a military family. “I did not. I’m a farm boy and grew up on an Iowa farm. My Dad was a farmer, his Dad was a farmer, and my Mom’s Dad was a farmer, so that was my culture. But at the same time a number of my uncles, in the 1960s had military service. It was at a time when the selective service was in place and every male was subject to the draft. I think that was always in my mind as a youngster; wanting to serve my country in some way. I applied for a Navy ROTC scholarship and was accepted. It was a nice way to pay for my college tuition and (I thought) if I like it I’ll keep going tour after tour. Before I know it, I’m on my 27th year this year.” CAPT Heckmann attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The college had a very strong engineering background, but he studied physics. Physics is a discipline that the Navy was very interested in because of the nuclear component. He noted: “I was destined at one point to go into the submarine service but as I approached my commissioning and graduation, one

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Military, Government and Labor Relations Committee Update – August ‘13

By John M. Robertson

TheCaptain John V. Heckmann

Story

SANTA RITA, Guam (Aug. 14, 2013)-Capt. John Heckmann, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mariana's commanding officer, is piped ashore for the last time during his change of command ceremony. Heckmann was properly relieved by Capt. Glenn A. Shephard and will assume his new duties as NAVFAC Headquarters Operations Officer in Washington D.C.

(U.S Navy photo by Bill Austin/released)

of the physicals ended up showing some colorblindness. As much as my wife may disagree I can see some colors!! But that caused me to go with what we refer to as restricted line community, those areas that don’t require a strong color perception. Obviously in navigation and other aspects of the Navy, you have got to see colors appropriately to do the job. That caused me to look at other career choices within the Navy and I learned about the Civil Engineer Corps. The more I dug into it and learned what it was all about, I began to realize how it fit my personality from growing up on a farm, being around machinery, doing work on the land and the buildings that we had. I soon realized I should have studied engineering in the first place and was probably more fitted for that discipline. So hence, fate or otherwise I ended up going in the engineering direction. I eventually transitioned from being a midshipman, and became commissioned as an officer in the Navy upon graduation in 1986.” Soon after, ENS Heckmann continued his education at the Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officer School in Port Hueneme, California.

CAPT Heckmann was asked if he ever gave thought to the idea of looking at the private sector for pursuing an engineering career. His response: “I was excited to start my military career, see what it was all about after going through four years of various courses taught by Navy officers and hearing their stories. It makes you want to go and experience your own Navy stories, get your own sea stories, and it filled me with excitement. My first duty station was in California, Moffet Field, Naval Air Station, near San Francisco in the Silicon Valley. It provided an exposure to the aviation part of the Navy and I could see how we, as engineers, facilitated the operational side of the Navy. So I did not have a strong inkling of leaving military service. I enjoyed it. It was a new experience plus I knew I would go to various locations around the world. I think that is also what enticed my wife and I to stay in. The next duty station we targeted was overseas in Japan and spent three years in Sasebo. Its adventures like that that kept me going in this Navy way of life.”

From there, CAPT Heckmann completed a number of deployments all over the world. These include Port Hueneme in California, Somalia during Operation Restore Hope and a small deployment to Guam in 1993 in which he remembers meeting Seabee Betty. This was followed by a full deployment to Crete, Greece, then Graduate School at University of Washing-ton in Seattle and back to Port Hueneme to teach acquisition courses and later as academic director. From there he went back





to the Seabee battalion with deployments to Puerto Rico and Okinawa. At the Navy Personnel Center in Millington, Tennessee, he was a Detailer whose job it was to write orders for people’s next assignments. This put him in charge of writing orders for the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, the Seabees, the Seals, the Salvage Divers and the Explosive Ordnance Demolition (EOD) guys. CAPT Heckmann thus learned a bit about all the other communities he was responsible for. Following that assignment he became the Public Works officer at same location and then went on to DC at the Navy Yard working at NAVFAC headquarters. That was at a very unique time for NAVFAC. His task was to develop an operational plan for combining the old PWCs and the old engineering field activities together. This was a major transformation for the Navy. For Guam, it meant that OICC and PWC both went away leaving NAVFAC Marianas (Facility Engineering Command) in its place. CAPT Heckmann stationed at headquarters at the time, was in the midst of helping that unfold. Under the leadership of CAPT, now Admiral, Boone as Commanding Officer, it started a new era of how NAVFAC changed the way it was doing business in Guam, which is still going on today. By combining the elements of the contracting and engineering side with that of the maintenance and utility side, orchestrating what was needed to get things done became easier. Regarding this

change, CAPT Heckmann states “I am still a very strong proponent and believe we did a good thing back then. It was painful to go through and it was challenging to make that transformation but in the end it was the right thing to do…bringing them both together made a lot of sense. It created some effi-ciencies but it also created a lot of synergy that we have been taking advantage of over the past years.” After that, CAPT Heckmann recalls “I had the honor of going to the Naval Support Facility in Thermont, Maryland doing Presi-dential Support at Camp David. It was a dif-ferent type of tour but also very important, frankly. I really enjoyed doing that unique duty.” Upon completion of this tour in 2007, CAPT Heckmann was elevated to the rank of Captain.

Other interesting assignments include being Commanding Officer of Camp Lem-onnier, an old French foreign legion camp in Djibouti, Africa, just north of Somalia. The US had leased it from the Djiboutian government to support the local militaries in an effort to discourage the spread of Al Quida influence. The job involved running a complete installation, producing their own power and water. Life became better after converting 20-foot containers to living accommodations and moving out of tents. Afterwards, CAPT Heckmann went to work for NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, as both the Op-erations Officer and the XO at two different


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relationships and how to best continue the reputation of NAVFAC Marianas here on the island while being a good neighbor to all the other island residents. “It’s a big task so I want to make sure I am preparing Capt Shepherd to step into this role and effortlessly continue what I tried to continue from my predecessor.” From Guam, CAPT Heckmann returns to NAVFAC headquarters at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC. There, he will be Opera-tions Officer for the worldwide NAVFAC organization. Among other things, he will take command of an organization tasked with sorting out how NAVFAC does business going forward. What he accomplished on Guam now needs to be applied across all of NAVFAC. That will be his new challenge back at headquarters. He noted, “Hopefully I can bring all of the experience I have gained here locally and from this command and take the lessons learned from working with this community to influence how we make decisions back at headquarters.”

With 27 years in the Navy, CAPT Heckmann was asked whether he would continue his career in the Navy beyond the 30 year mark. He responded: “I think I’ll be forced to retire unless someone unwisely tries to promote me to flag officer… I am

reaching that point where I have got to make a decision of what I want to do for the rest of my life, or (I joke) what I want to do when I grow up! I have to work out with my family and decide if I focus on a new job and wherever that may take us, like the Navy has done for so many years, or if I focus on the location and then try to find the job that will fit that location. I don’t know yet. But that’s what I’m going to try to figure out while I’m back at NAVFAC headquarters.” C

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by David F. Macaluso

by David F. Macaluso

or

No Job Toosmall

LARGE

Hard work, excellent workmanship and completing projects on time is the corner-stone for Polyphase System Inc’s (PSI) success. This small local company had a humble start six years ago, now it expanded its operation from all electrical services to civil engineering.

Since 2007, PSI remains focused on providing good workmanship to their diverse client base which range from military jobs, privately owned businesses and GovGuam. Polyphase System Inc specializes in a variety of electrical projects ranging from medium to low voltage jobs in addition to a wide-range of electrical work.

It doesn’t matter if the job is large or small, PSI has a team of knowledgeable person-nel who are committed in giving Guam excellent sub-contractual electrical services. And since last year, the company added civil engineering to their repertoire to handle mason work and carpentry.

According to PSI Vice President and General Manager Ronald C. Carolino, he picked the name of his company, Polyphase Systems Inc, because its an electrical technical term which means a three phase system. When it comes to working with electricity there are two types of phases, the single phase and the three phase. The three-phase power transmis-sion uses three wires compared to the single-phase which uses two wires. The three-phase system transmits 73% more power but uses only 50% more wire.

Before launching PSI, Carolino was the chief engineer for M.D. Crisostomo Inc. from 1997 - 2005. M.D Crisostomo Inc is an electrical contractor. Carolino left the company in 2005 to establish his own store, Guam Electrical Material Supply (GEMS), which is an electrical wholesale supplier store. He then began supplying his former employer M.D. Crisostomo with electrical supplies from his store.

GEMS is located right next door to PSI on Macheche Avenue and it supplies local contractors and homeowners with fast moving electrical material used for both residential and commercial buildings and its open not only to contractors but also to the public.

“We have all your electrical needs for your home from lighting fixtures, wires, panel backs, air conditioner disconnect switch, outlets, switches, and lamps. Whatever a home improvement store sells, you will find that GEMS also sells it,” said Carolino.

Carolino admits he had a dream that one day he would eventually form his own company as an electrical contractor. But Carolino had to put that thought on hold because he started GEMS. But then an opportunity to start his own electrical contractor company came sooner than he expected.

In 2007, Carolino’s former employer M.D. Crisostomo asked him if he could start an electrical construction company to perform work on Rota (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - CNMI). There was an airport project being planned that would improve the facilities at the Rota International Airport. At that time, M.D Crisostomo was the subcontractor but couldn’t travel to Rota because of they had a heavy workload. Mr. Crisostomo asked Carolino to start his own company.

“Once I was asked, I didn’t think twice, I immediately said yes. So Polyphase Systems Inc started from that moment,” said Carolino. “It was nice that my former boss gave me the opportunity to go ahead and allowed me to start my own company.Then I got my electrical license here on Guam.”

In 2007, The Rota Airport project was led by a Singapore company named Or Kim Peow Contractors (OKP) or OKP HoldingsLimited. OKP is an infrastructure builder

and civil engineering specialist that was awarded an $8.6 million contract to work on the airport runway. The scope of work involved the building of 1,000 feet of exten-sion runway and a turnaround at both ends of the runway. At that time OKP was the first Singapore company to do business in the CNMI. Although this project didn’t pan out for PSI, this missed opportunity allowed Carolino to focus on his dream, to start up PSI and to get his license on Guam.

Currently PSI is working on Guam Power Authority’s substation near Kmart. They are the electrical subcontractor for BME &Sons. The scope of work involves the replacement of the existing transformer. So its basically an upgrade to the electricalsystem which will allow GPA’s Grid to handle more power for GPA’s clients. This is an update to the system that has been inservice for over 20 years.

Carolino adds, ”That substation is very critical because it handles the load for all of Tumon. That’s why this is such a challengeto us because we have to minimize the outages while we do work at this substa-tion. Especially when we start on the critical work by removing the old existing transformer.”

The type of work being done at the Kmart substation is very similar to what was done to the Agana Substation (located in Mong Mong) back in March 2011. Back then the Agana substation needed to update to its decaying system by replacing existing outdoor 115 kV and 34.5 kV breakers and to disconnect switches with new equip-ment.

Although some of the breakers and switches were replaced at the Kmart substation, the overall job wasn’t as exten-sive because the Kmart substation wasn’t as old Agana’s substation which contained parts that were installed during the Eisen-hower administration. Once PSI completes


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TORY the Kmart Substation, they will need to add

an additional larger transformer to Agana’s substation so it will be able handle more power. On that job, BME & Sons will be PSI’s subcontractor. And these upgrades all tie into GPA’s grid project.

In the past PSI completed GPA’s construc-tion of underground work in Latte Heights, Barrigada Hts, Sinajana and GHURA in Yigo. They changed out substandard secondary and primary hand holes and installed underground conduits duct line and riser conduits for their 13.8kV line in Agana . This work was all done in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Other projects PSI is currently working on involves the Department Of Education (DOE). PSI is working on six elementaryschools, three in the north (Astumbo Elementary, Machananao Elementary and Upi Elementary) and three in the central part of the island (Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary, Tamuning Elementary, and Chief Brodie Elementary).

There are two packages for the scope of work that needs to be done to these schools. The first package is for Lyndon B.Johnson Elementary, Tamuning Elemen-tary, and Chief Brodie Elementary . These three schools will get new upgraded firealarm systems installed. But Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary and Chief Brodie Elementary will also have additional electrical panels installed for their future air conditioning system. These panels will be installed without loads, which means the panels are there but electricity will not be feed into them.

The second package involves the northern schools, Astumbo Elementary (Dededo), Machananao Elementary (Dededo) and Upi Elementary (Yigo). These three schools will all get a new upgraded fire alarm system installed.

Most of PSI’s work is subcontractor electri-cal work with military contractors like AIC international, Fargo Pacific, BME & Son Inc and Keum Yang Corp. According to Carolino, approximately seventy to eighty

percent of its completed work comes fromthe military. Just recently PSI completed their biggest project that they had so far. It’s estimated that PSI changed out close to 10,000 lamps in over 70 facilities at Big Navy. These newer energy efficient LED lamps were installed in facilities like the NEX (the Navy Exchange Store), the gymnasium, warehouses, stores, and offices.

Other military jobs completed on the Naval Base include the area lighting at playgrounds in Lockwood Terrace family housing.

This job was finished in January 2011 and involved the installation of stand alone solar powered playground lighting subcon-tracted to PSI by Keum Yang Corp. Another job finished at the same time (Jan 2011) pertained to electrical work for an anti terrorist perimeter fence and main gate at the Joint Region Marianas Head-quarters in Nimitz Hills. Additional work included electrical & communication work and stand alone solar powered lights for the parking area.

“Some of the advantages our company has over our competitors is that we provide free estimates to our customers,” said Carolino. “PSI’s team will take on any job whether its small or large, high voltage to low voltage, or from electrical services forthe military, privately owned businesses and GovGuam to residential homes. We do all electrical work from power substa-tion, transmission and distribution all the way to the electrical outlet, lights and switches to your home.”

Last year PSI added a civil engineer to their repertoire to handle mason work, carpentry and small civil repairs. The non electrical work PSI is doing consists of residential and commercial repair work along with kitchen repairs. In addition, PSI is currently the subcontractor for Advance Management to paint all Mobil gas stations on island.

Carolino explains, “We decided to get a civil engineer to bring in more work. Some-

times being a small speciality contractor can sometimes be difficult. If all the speciality jobs run out then PSI will need to find work. Adding a civil engineer to our company will gives us another venue to find work.”

PSI has been a member with Guam Contractors Association (GCA) since 2007. One of the things Carolino likes about GCA is how they organize, facilitate, construction management seminars for quality control safety.

“The Seminars really helped us because sometimes the military contractors will run out of Quality Control people. That is one of our advantages because PSI is a small contractor, but we have experience electri-cal engineers and estimators who under-stand safety programs and are certified Quality Control Managers.

Carolino came from a humble beginning. If you asked him ten years ago where he would be today, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders slightly as he thought for a moment.

“If you asked me that question ten years ago, I honestly didn’t expect to have my own company. I only thought I would be an electrical supplier. But that expanded to PSI and now we are broadening our services. We are not just electrical engineers, but we can do civil work too. And when it comes to civil work, we have the same philosophy, no job is too big or too small.

Carolino says his company’s success is credited to every member of PSI. Because of their dedication, ability to complete the projects on time, and good workmanship. In addition, Carolino used his former employer’s work ethics as a guide for PSI. He considers M.D. Crisostomo Inc to be a great role model for his company. They are not just after making a profit, but they alsotake pide in satisfying the customer.

“Introducing Guam’s Only Roll-On / Roll-O� Shipping Service Between the U.S. West Coast and Guam”

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Waterman Steamship Corporation, originally founded in 1919, is a deep sea ocean carrier operating U.S. �ag vessels in liner service

and time charter contracts.Contact AMBYTH today and speak with one of our helpful

Customer Service Consultants about how AMBYTH can help with all your shipping, warehousing and transportation needs.

Now accepting immediate bookings for:

Lyon Associates, Inc.Open HouseAugust 9th, 2013

Lyon Associates Office

GCA LuncheonJuly 17, 2013

Westin Resort & Spa

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Bring on the Green.

Pacific Unlimited Inc. DBA: Pacific Trucking

Not sure where to bring your wooden pallets, crates, untreated wood waste from construction & renovations, land clearing shrubbery, trees refuse, yard trimmings, cardboard & paper?

We are the nearest, most affordable option on island.Pick up services available as well.

For more Information, hours ofoperation or credit applicationcall 437-4374., Ext. 100 or email usat [email protected]

Now accepting green waste at$9.00 per cubic yard.

Located at our EPA Permitted Ordot Green Waste & Composting Facility just across the former Ordot Landfill.

Senator Yamashita presented a Legislative resolution to Isla Paint & Roofing Supply, A Family Business, commending and thanking the company for their Corporate Leadership

and Hafa Adai Spirit!

Presentation was held on July 11, 2013 at the Legislature's public hearing room.

Jaylene is currently the Immediate Past President of NAWIC Guam Chapter #381.

CONGRATULATIONS JAYLENE AND BRIAN KENT

Legislative Resolution to Isla Paint & Roofing Supply

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“Our Lincoln Man”

151 W. HARMON INDUSTRIAL PARK RD.,

Jose CruzPresident

Carabao Kunstructors

(671) [email protected]

Jose CruzPresident


(671) [email protected]

Jose CruzPresident


(671) 123-9876

[email protected]

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What Does It Take?What Does It Take?What does it take to get some work with a large prime contractor in a federal contract? That seems, by far the most common question amongst the small business community to Small Business Administrators/Liaisons. The answer? “It Depends.” Hahahahah. Funny, but it really does!

Marketing, Sales, Management, Quality, Safety, etc, to name a few, play a major role in acquiring and maintaining work opportunities. I’ll talk about marketing to the Large Business small business liaison officers, administrators, advo-cates, representatives, etc as they are in some cases, the front door for large businesses.

Attending the events not only provides an education but also an opportunity to meet new and existing customers. Network! At the least, slip me a card. Don’t worry. I am there to meet you too. Otherwise, listen and jump in the discus-sion. Most likely, the conversation topic is a result from the workshop topic anyway.

I meet small businesses in a variety of ways. Sometimes I meet small businesses at a PTAC, SBDC, SBA and NAVFAC workshops or seminars. I meet small businesses in Guam Contractors Association, Guam Chamber of Com-merce and SAME membership meet-ings and luncheons. I meet them at small business expos. I meet them at, my favorite, small business mixers. I meet them in line at the store. I meet them in plane trips. I meet them every-where and carry my business cards with me ALL THE TIME for the card exchange. The same goes for small businesses. You too should carry your cards and know what to say when you

need to say it. Thus, you will need to prepare the all important elevator speech.

I believe in the phrase, Out of sight…out of mind! If the large business does not see you, then how will they know your out there and offer you opportunities. There are some small businesses who attend most functions, seminars, activi-ties, trainings, etc! They are active through participation and are there all the time! Right Joe! Who doesn’t know Joe Roberto or what Island Tinting can provide? When the time comes during a request, a need or a bid, I know them by name. I know what they do and what they offer.

Make an appointment to meet with me, us or them. The personal face to face meetings go a long way in understand-ing what you have to offer. I can now get the information you provide and send it to the right people for review and consid-eration. So prepare those capabilities statements which should include some past performance if you have it.

So, the card first, then meet to provide capabilities statements and finally follow up. “Strike When the Iron is Hot.” Keep involved and find out what is bidding. If you provide Residential Typhoon Shut-ters, keep on the lookout for housing bids and send out your emails to those interested in bidding. Make your calls. Make your office visits. Pound the pave-ment! Otherwise, you may miss an opportunity.

Opportunities come or are they made? Depends on who you ask… I believe opportunities are made first then they come. Well, YOU will need to make the first move. Buyers, estimators or

engineers need to know who you are before they can even provide you an opportunity. “But I saw them already Jesse!” Yes, but you have to remember, you may be one in who knows how many people and businesses they have met already! Keep going back. Keep shaking hands. Keep giving cards. Keep attending functions! When an opportu-nity comes, who will they remember?

Think of a buyer as yourself as a last minute Christmas shopper. Ok, not all people are like that right? Who me? Well, I believe the majority are last minute shoppers. You have scratched off the items you need for the people closest to you. But time is running out…AND you have a new gift to buy for your kids exchange gifts and you scramble! Looking everywhere! Calling everywhere! But no one is available to help, they are closed, they are not answering calls! Ugh!

Well, a buyer, estimators or an engineer’s professional life is not much different from that. Projects and bids have time to work on getting quotes, proposals, etc. but they will eventually run out of time! SO, your job is to under-stand their situation and work as best you can by responding back, giving them what they need, in a timely manner, complete, with useful informa-tion that may be of concern, and they WILL come back to give you another opportunity. What else would you want as a customer?

Good Luck and see you out there.

Jesse Pangelinan is the Small Business Liaison Officer at dck pacific guam LLC and member of GCA, SAME and Guam Chamber SB Commit-tees.


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BBC report talks of a newer LED technology that could reduce light pollution even further. As a star gazer, this is welcome news.

The report cites an Optical Society of America study that explores the use of a cluster of LED's and a micro lens sheet. The study noted that the use of this total internal reflection lens sheet uniformly distributes light only onto the street as opposed to all directions via the HPS streetlight. It is this fact that contributes to glare, non-uniform lighting patterns, upward reflected light, waste of energy and light pollution. The study notes that LED light can be shaped and projected onto the street by differ-ent optical methods and the use of this micro lens sheet which gives better performance and impor-tantly light on the road and nothing else. While in the design stage, it is still good news for consumers and the driving public alike.

Many have proffered that the LED Streetlight is of poor quality. Many were speaking about the light as they and their "driving eyes" have grown so akin to the HPS glow that nothing can match it. This is spur-ring a culture change across the

region, though it is slow to catch on here. Who wouldn't want to see more of the night sky in our region, if the lights were not making it harder to enjoy it? Did I mention the energy savings? This new technology will utilize 10 and 50 percent less power to illuminate our roadways. And YES-light pollution would be reduced and the disruption caused on our wildlife and people's sleep. There is no question that time and more study is required on using such in our part of the world. Our neighbors across the Pacific are taking the plunge so much quicker than "the big city in Micro-nesia". Though I am certain we are headed in that direction-we just need to get decision makers behind it and behind the use of LED street lights quickly.

For more information on bringing an LED lighting solution to your respective facility, please contact us at GET, LLC at 671-483-0789 or see our website at www.get-guam.com

On a project that I contributed to over a year ago, I marveled how a technology could change our way of life here in the Western Pacific. Prior to that project's completion and while visiting another part of the Marianas Archipelago, I saw firsthand how the use of LED streetlights had already been in full swing and just how great a quality of light these devices put out. The road was lit. Nothing more.

The direction of the lenses illumi-nated much more of the roads than their high pressure sodium (HPS_ predecessors. The HPS streetlight, while a great work-horse for its time, was effectively put aside for a technology that saves nearly 50 percent in energy costs and is as effective of lighting up a road on any given night. But the biggest observation I made to project engineers early on was "WOW! The road is lit and not the nearby jungle, home or Microne-sian landmark.!"

Even more important was that the night sky was not cut by the new LED streetlight and the landscape has since yielded a different look. Taking it one step further, a recent

Termite Frass

Termite Activity

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Termite Mud Tube

Decreases on the Horizonwith new LED Street Light Technology

Light PollutionLight Pollution

by Shawn Gumataotao

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Symptoms of nerve pathology to the lower extremity like all pathology must first be ruled out by diabetes, arthridites, neuromas, sciatica, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, nerve injuries and nerve impingement due to tumors.

Diabetes affects the nerves mainly by the microvascular damage. The lack of blood flow causes ischemia and damage to the nerves. Numbness/tingling are the usual symptoms but lancinating deep burning pain can also occur. These symptoms can easily be addressed by certain anti-platelet therapy. One must also make sure to also manage their blood sugar.

Arthritides affecting the nerves on Guam is uncommon. Sero negative disorders, Rheumatoid arthritis, and SLE are more common in the United States.

Neuromas form following a painful nerve injury. Trauma via compression or impact causes the nerve to sprout then enlarge. This enlargement then causes pain associated with a scar which alters sensibility in the distribution of the nerve.

Sciatica is a generic term used to define pain in the distribution of the sci-atic nerve which runs from your buttocks down your thigh and may involve your foot. This can be due to a slipped disc , nerve tumors or a tight muscle called the piriformis.

Disc herniation is a slipped vertebrae which causes impingement on the nerve. This can happen between the lumbar and sacrum. 80-90% of the time the disc resorbs/returns on its own with proper rest and NSAIDS. This can actually become a neurosurgical emergency when it involves foot drop, urinary symp-toms or saddlebag anesthesia. Foot drop is when an individual can no longer control/lift ones foot. Urinary symptoms is when one no longer can control their urination. Saddlebag anesthesia is when there is numbness in the middle between your thighs.

Spinal stenosis is when the vertebral bones enlarge in the back causing an impingement in the nerves. This

can be associated with SeroNegative Arthropathies. This is best diagnosed by a Rheumatalogist by ordering serum values.

Nerve injuries can happen to the foot that course along the ankle. Cutaneous nerves can get damaged from ankle sprains, something heavy dropping on the foot or maybe from tight shoegear. The nerves affected can have a sharp or burning sensation exacerbated by certain movement and or showear.More serious injuries like anterior or posterior tarsal tunnel syndrome can result from compression, crush or a laceration.

Nerve impingement due to tumors can occur at almost any part of the nerve and its distribution. An MRI is the best tool for diagnosing this type of pathology.

A Neurologist is the best doctor to con-sult for any type of nerve disorder. Nerve conduction studies, lab values, MRIs are beneficial and in most conditions definitive.

Symptoms of nerve pathology may involve numbness, tingling and or lanci-nating sharp pain. It may also involve muscle atrophy, muscle weakness or even diffulty in urinating. Again seeing your Primary care physician first is the best thing to do. He/she may order all the necessary tests before you see the Neurologist then refer after the appropriate workup.

Dr.Noel Silan, DPM ABMSP

Nerve Pain

Diabet ic Foot Problems • Gout • Sports/Work Related Injur ies • Skin Diseases • Surgery

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Guam Foot Clinic Express Med Pharmacy Bldg138 Kayen Chando St.Dededo, Guam 96929 • (671)633-3668 wk • (671)647-0027 faxDr.Noel Silan DPM, ABMSP P.C.

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GCA Construction News Bulletin August 2013

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