BIDS OPENED FOR TAMMS PRISON WORK CAMP

TAMMS, Ill. -- Construction will start next month on a $7 million-plus prison work camp here.

River City Construction of Benton, Ill., was low bidder for the work camp, which will be built about two miles northwest of Tamms, site of a $60 million super maximum prison. A ground-breaking will be held at 2 p.m. on June 1.

Bids for five construction contracts for the work camp were opened last week. Low bidders for the contracts totaling $7,224,544, were:

-- River City Construction, general construction, $4,969,000.

-- J. M. Walters, Metropolis, electrical work, $824,200.

-- H. & H. Mechanical, Carbondale, plumbing, $800,732.

-- L. & L. Mechanical, Marion, ventilation work, $564,722.

-- Litton Enterprises, Marion, sprinkler system, $65,890.

The bids were opened at the Business Incubator in Carbondale last week.

Mia Jazo of the Illinois Capital Development Board said Monday that contracts should be awarded within a week.

The companies with lowest bids must provide proof of bonding and insurance before the contracts are awarded.

Plans call for completion of the 200-bed minimum-security work camp by the spring of 1995.

The more than 250 construction workers needed to build the work camp, which will be adjacent to the prison, will be hired from Illinois.

Bids and construction for the super max prison are expected sometime this fall, with a completion of the prison in the spring of 1996.

Water lines from Tamms to the prison site will be completed this week. Murphy Construction Co. of Tamms is installing the eight-inch water line the two-mile distance to the site.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jim Edgar announced that the Illinois Capital Development Board will require contractors and subcontractors who build the prison at Tamms to sign binding labor agreements with regional unions to hire Illinois workers.

The agreements will require Illinois trades people to build the camp and prison. Also included in the agreement is a pledge by local trade unions to not strike, slow down work, picket or allow other work stoppages of any nature.

When fully operational, the super max prison will house 500 of the state's most violent inmates. The facility will employ approximately 385 people and operate on a $17.5 million annual budget.

Originally, 30 communities sought the prison before the list was narrowed to five. Tamms was selected as the site in October of 1993.