Client:
Los Angeles Unified School District

Program Value: Nearly $16 billion (Under Parsons Management:
$2.05 billion)

Contract Duration:
June 2002–June 2004 (possibility of three one-year extensions)

Parsons Services:
Program management, construction management, construction administration, design management, educational specification reviews, constructability reviews, environmental coordination, real estate acquisition coordination
(new construction program), submittal and approval by Department of Toxic Substances Control, submittal
and approval by division to Department of
State Architect
and California Department of Education, submittal and approval of funding from
State Allocation Board, contractor outreach, assembly of bid packages/bid analysis and recommendation on award, outside agency coordination, project controls, change control system, equipment commissioning,
FF&E coordination, O&M manuals and training, final punchlist, project
and contract
closeout

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest in the country, covers 704 square miles and matriculates 750,000 students through 900 schools in 11 local districts. Many of its K-12 students must ride the bus for over an hour to attend school, and when they arrive they face deteriorated facilities and overcrowded, outdated classrooms. Astonishingly, the last new comprehensive high school in the District was built in 1973, and most of its schools are over 55 years old. Existing schools are bursting at the seams and in dire need of modernization and repair, and new facilities are desperately needed to accommodate an ever-growing student population. To address these problems, LAUSD embarked on the largest building program in its history. At nearly $16 billion, this program is positioned to be the largest public works project in the nation.

In 1997, an overwhelming 71 percent of voters passed Proposition BB, a school bond measure authorizing LAUSD to use $2.4 billion in bonds for new school construction and repair and modernization of the District’s 900 existing schools. These funds enabled the District to sign contracts with 12 construction management teams for 12,000 modernization projects ranging from roof replacements to safety and technology upgrades for the classrooms and 159 new construction projects. The new construction projects will alleviate much of the overcrowding the schools and the students face each day by enabling the District to accommodate 76,871 students on a two-semester basis.

In addition to the $2.4 billion the District received from Proposition BB, Measure K, a $3.35-billion bond passed in November 2002, will provide an additional 40 new schools. Add to that Measure R, a $3.8-billion bond just passed in March 2004. And thanks to State Propositions 47 (November 2002) and 55 (March 2004), matching funds will result in a total program of nearly $16 billion. LAUSD’s big problem will take big money to solve. And Parsons is helping with the solution.

Five years into the program, the District held a recompete and in June 2002 awarded Parsons two contracts: one for facilities modernization and the second for new school construction. Parsons, the only non-incumbent among the program’s six contractors, captured the largest modernization program contract. Out of 15 contractors on the new construction projects, Parsons is one of two non-incumbents.

School facilities have continued to function without interruption or interference while construction is under way.

Parsons’ technical, management, and administrative staff are fully integrated with District project management and support staff. The program, project, and construction management services Parsons provides ensure that every construction project is completed on schedule and within quality standards and budget. Every bit of the work is planned to allow schools and school facilities to function without interruption or interference while construction is under way.

Damaged locker facilities...	...are now upgraded and ready for use.

• Executive management for the San Fernando Valley region, one of the program’s three geographical regions

• Project and construction management for 35 individual projects throughout the District

• Technical and administrative support for the District's central office

Parsons currently manages $1.3 billion in new construction projects.

Workers preparing to pour concrete for new construction in District A.	Foundation work under way at a new school in District A.

The San Fernando Valley Region, under the leadership of Parsons’ Regional Manager, has rigorously managed the cost and schedules for its projects. The validity of the region's budgets was proved in the bids received for two high schools and one middle school of the Valley Region. The combined total of these three bids was $87.8 million, and the difference between the low bids and the District's estimate was only $278,500, a 0.3% difference. Additionally, the average difference between the low and high bids was only 9.3%.

Parsons is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for minority and women-owned business. The LAUSD Parsons team includes four small business enterprises with 41% participation, compared with the District’s goal of 25%.

Parsons has 15 years of experience in developing education facilities from K-12 to higher education and has worked at 32 campuses across the nation and internationally. Our expertise enables school districts to meet the expanding needs of the communities they serve in an efficient and timely manner. Parsons is also providing program management services at other educational institutions in southern California. At UCLA, Parsons is restoring historic structures and improving life safety and building systems. At the San Diego Community College District’s three campuses, Parsons is providing much needed new facilities and upgrading campus structures to meet current safety standards.

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