Building the Future: Job Order Contracting (JOC) for Advanced Facility Construction

Job Order Contracting (JOC) is an efficient and flexible construction procurement method that enables organizations to complete many projects with one competitively awarded contract. Responsible for tens of thousands of projects and $4 billion in construction volume every year, Gordian’s Job Order Contracting solutions are the go-to delivery method for various types of work. Historically, JOC has been associated with routine, operational work like mending burst pipes or installing new flooring. However, this has changed in recent years as owners have been turning to JOC for high-tech work. In this post, we’ll look at several examples of why JOC is an effective delivery method for advanced facility construction and renovation.

County of Santa Cruz Builds State-of-the-Art DNA Lab

As part of a long-term California budget initiative, the County of Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office received $2.8 million from the state for construction and lab equipment, with additional funding allocated for long-term staffing. In 2023, county leaders decided to use these funds to build a DNA lab to process evidence in the sheriff’s office, a project that would be led by the County General Services Department (GSD). Prior to the construction of the lab, the county sent evidence to the state for processing, where it sat in a backlog of cases, delaying justice for victims and their families.  Eager to reduce processing time and needing to hit funding deadlines, county leaders turned to Gordian’s Job Order Contracting.

This decision, a recommendation from local construction firm Angeles Contractor, Inc. (ACI), demonstrated exceptional trust, as the County of Santa Cruz GSD had never used JOC before.

“In order to reduce our procurement timeline, the county made a strategic decision to use the JOC program for the DNA lab,” explained Santa Cruz GSD Construction Project Manager Kristine Conley. “It was really exciting to see the Gordian staff help us through that process and also deliver it in a very short timeframe.”

A large, empty room in the Sheriff’s Forensics Lab building was transformed into a state-of-the-art DNA laboratory with several accessory rooms to support advanced DNA processing. The scope of work included installation of new electrical and plumbing systems, as well as tailored heating and ventilation solutions. Specialized workstations and custom cabinetry were added to match the design and functionality of the existing laboratory spaces. Angeles and its subcontractors worked diligently to accommodate lab staff requirements while navigating existing building constraints.  

Work on the cutting-edge 1,700-square-foot lab finished within Fiscal Year 2024, per the requirements of the state’s grant. The $1.85M facility will empower law enforcement to process evidence in days, drastically reducing turnaround time and providing resolution for victims faster than ever before.

Between the incredible community impact and the use of best practices, the Santa Cruz DNA lab project was awarded the 2024 Award of Excellence in Job Order Contracting, the highest honor a Gordian JOC project can achieve.

See the impact JOC has made on the state of California in this video:

City of Miami Beach Upgrades Chamber to Increase Connectivity and Transparency

Housed in a building constructed in the late 1970s, the City of Miami Beach Commission Chambers needed serious upgrades and enhancements to meet the needs of today’s constituents. That meant new equipment, modern technology and expanded seating.

Project designer Carlos Wong of William Lane Architect summed up the project best when he said the city needed to “modernize the Miami Beach Commission Chamber while preserving its historic integrity.” To meet these twin goals – maintaining history and adding new tech and furnishings –  city leaders turned to Gordian’s Job Order Contracting.

The project was awarded to Lee Construction Group, a local contractor with ample JOC experience, and began in October of 2023. Lee remodeled the existing 4,000+ square foot space located on the third and fourth floors of City Hall by installing robotic 4K video cameras and relocating a control room to make space for multiple camera angles to improve the viewing experience for citizens watching meetings on the Commission’s YouTube channel.

For the live audience, Lee expanded capacity by installing 210 new seats, upgraded video monitors, put in a new HVAC system and enhanced accessibility. Finally, the City Commission now enjoys a redesigned and reinforced dais, a digital queueing system and ten dedicated staff workstations with electric and internet connectivity to enable city employees to remain productive during meetings.

Work wrapped up in May of 2024, and Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner had this to say about the $2.4 million project. “Our new chamber is the people’s house — a place of community featuring state-of-the-art amenities our residents deserve. They can now stay informed about their local government from the comfort of their homes as we broadcast 15 live public meetings each month on Miami Beach TV and online. We rolled out the red carpet to usher in a new era of engagement and excellence for our city.”

Job Order Contracting is just one solution Gordian offers to state and local government entities. Check out this page for a full rundown.

Jackson Health Expands, Renovates Lobby for Modern Tech

The Ira C. Clark Diagnostic Treatment Center (DTC) serves as a central hub of care for virtually every department on Jackson Health System’s Miami campus, including Jackson Memorial Hospital, one of the largest public hospitals by bed count in the United States. Within the walls of the Clark DTC, patients receive MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, X-rays and other tests to determine the best course of treatment. Built in 1995, the DTC was due for expansion to accommodate both the growing population of the area and available medical advancements.  

Part of the DTC’s overhaul was a complete renovation of the café/marketplace where patients, visitors and staff eat, work and congregate every day. Jackson Health leaders had a vision to bring people together in a tech-friendly environment that promoted both healthy eating and social interaction. They made that vision a reality with Gordian’s Job Order Contracting, a project delivery method the large health system previously used to install a helipad on the roof of the Jackson South Trauma Center and complete a spate of upgrades and renovations across its campuses. 

Lee Construction Group was selected as the general contractor, and they brought on a team of nine local subcontractors to complete the work. 53% of the work – nearly $400,000 worth – was performed by Small Business Enterprise (SBE) contractors, exceeding Jackson Health’s inclusion goals.

Dive into Gordian’s entire suite of solutions for the healthcare sector.

Lobby renovations began in April of 2021 and finished in September of 2022 at a total cost of approximately $713,000. Work included demolishing walls and ceilings in the lobby marketplace and gift shop, and installing high-impact drywall along with new soundscapes and illuminated signage. The project also included a total reconfiguration of the space to accommodate people of all abilities, the installation of banquette seating with ample access to electrical outlets for device storage and use, lighting updates and upgrades to the existing HVAC and fire protection system. 

The DTC now has a high-tech, food-focused social space that brings together patients, employees and visitors in a warm, welcoming environment.

Cuyahoga Community College Modernizes Classroom Tech During Break

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) recognized an opportunity to make classroom upgrades over the short winter break between the Fall and Spring semesters. The goal was to replace existing touch screen displays with new and improved models, providing better functionality for teachers and creating a more interactive learning experience for students.

With a tight timeline for completing the work, Tri-C opted for Gordian’s Cooperative JOC via Sourcewell, a major purchasing cooperative. Accessing a shared contract with prices set and contractors awarded allowed the college to get Foti Contracting on site and making progress in no time. The contractor installed the new touch screen equipment and the required wiring and patched the walls around the screens.  

Thanks to close coordination between Cuyahoga Community College and the contractor, the classroom upgrades were completed in less than a month, well before students and teachers returned from winter break. After seeing how smoothly the project moved from initiation to completion, Tri-C decided to move forward with a larger project to install touch screen displays in 300 additional classrooms. This follow-up project was also awarded to Foti. For their excellence in the use of Job Order Contracting, Tri-C was awarded the 2019 Harry H. Mellon Award of Merit in Job Order Contracting.

See all of Gordian’s robust solutions for higher education facilities management, construction procurement and facilities capital planning.