CITY OF AUSTIN

… a publication for the City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources Department 

  Every Week Construction Contractors, Subcontractors & Suppliers Will Receive — Notices About City Construction Projects — News About Other Upcoming Projects & Events — Information About Bid Results & Awards (when available) — Plus Free Use Of The Plans & Computer Center

Invitations For Bids For The Week Of December 7-11, 2020 fyi: City of Austin Bid Notices Are Posted On The City of Austin Purchasing Office

~ Website: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/purchasing ~

BIDDING ON CITY OF AUSTIN SOLICITATIONS? BIDDERS MUST ATTEND MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCES AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND ANY NON-MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCES TO ENSUSRE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF OWNER’S BIDDING AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARY MBE/WBE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. IF THE PRE-BID CONFERENCE IS MANADATORY THE BIDDER MUST ARRIVE AND SIGN-IN WITHIN FIFTEEN 15) MINUTES OF THE SCHEDULED START TIME OF THE MEETING. OTHERWISE THE BIDDER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A BID FOR THE PROJECT. The City of Austin Online Vendor Registration and Solicitation Advertising website has changed. On October 1, 2011, the City installed the Vendor Connection, a replacement for the exist-ing registration and solicitation advertising websites. This new site may be accessed at http://www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/finance/index.cfm and select Vendor Connection. Solicitation details and document packages are available at this website. Bidders / Proposers are required to document efforts to solicit MBE/WBE or DBEs in the Compliance Plan. The Goals for each project and the instructions and forms for the Compliance Plan are included in the MBE/WBE or DBE Program Packet included in the solicitation. For construction contracts, the MBE/WBE or DBE Program Packet is a separately bound volume of the Project Manual.

City of Austin

Project Name: BLUFF SPRINGS SUBSTATION Solicitation Number: IFB6100 CLMC820 Solicitation Cost Estimate: $5,000,000.00 Scope of Work: The Work consists of the construction of a 6.95 acre electrical substation includ-ing: erosion controls, clearing/grubbing the site, importing/placing fill, installation of drainage pipe, construction of a water quality pond, placing base material, construction of a 12 foot solid fence, installation of several sizes of duct bank, installation of a copper grounding grid, installa-tion of equipment foundations and construction of an equipment control module. The project also includes landscaping and temporary irrigation. General Information: Download bid docs from the City of Austin Vendor Connection website at https://

www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/vendor_connection/index.cfm. No Deposit required.

For info: Tara Delagarza, Project Manager, 512-974-7152 or tara.delagarza@austinenergy.com . A Virtual Pre-Bid Conference will be held 11/24/20, 10:00 am (see Section 00020, Item 11, for link and instructions on attending the virtual Pre-bid Meeting). Offers due prior to 2:00 pm on 12/10/20. Compliance plans due prior to 2:00 PM on 12/17/20. Offers will be opened on 12/17/20 at 3:00 PM (see Section 00020, Item 3, for link to virtual bid opening). MBE/WBE Goals: African American: 2.36% Hispanic: 5.34% Native/Asian 0.40% WBE: 0.94%

Trades Summary: Curing Mixtures, All Types (For Curing Concrete) Panels, Concrete, Precast Inlets And Accessories, Precast Concrete, Sewer Meter Boxes And Concrete Pull Boxes Underground Cables And Wires, Solid/d Stranded, Spacers, Bus Bar, Copper Conduit And Fittings, Plastic/Pvc Structu Supports Racks, Mechanical Type: An Wire Molding, Raceways, Accessories, Fittings Gates, Industrial Fence, Galv. Steel Fuel Oil, Diesel Irrigation Systems, Supplies, Parts, Accessori Flexible Base Ready-Mix Concrete Grass Seed Manholes, Manhole Covers, Frames, Grates, Ring Building Construction, Prefabricated (All Types)Site Work Construction, (Backfill/Digging/Ditching Road Grading Concrete For Structures Incidental Const Headwalls, Concrete, Work Shall Consist Of Fu Construction, Irrigation System Excavation Services Construction, Sewer And Storm Drain Driveway Pavement, Portland Cement Concrete. Base Course, Aggregate. Embankments, Construction Of. k Shall Cons Electrical Heating, Ventilating Air Conditioning (Hvac) Pier Drilling Hauling Services Dust Control Watering Toilets, Portable, Rental Or Lease Traffic Control Equipment /Accessories Rental Erosion Control Services Fence Installation And Repair Hydromulching Services Landscaping (Including Design, Fertilizing, Planting

Project Name: UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY PARKING LOT EXPANSION Solicitation Cost Estimate: $550,000.00 Solicitation Number: IFB CLMC836 Scope of Work: The Work includes furnishing all tools, labor, materials, equipment, and miscella-neous items necessary for the complete construction of the parking lot expansion including site grading, demolition, asphalt pavement, porous pavers, curb and gutter, sidewalks and ramps, driveway, striping and signage, access gate, detention pond, lighting and electrical, landscaping and irrigation, erosion and sedimentation control, abandonment of existing monitoring well, and other associated items shown on the Drawings. General Information: Download bid docs from the City of Austin Vendor Connection website at https://www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/vendor_connection/index.cfm . No Deposit required. For info: Andrew Clements, Project Manager, 512-974-7152 or andrew.clements@austintexas.gov . SMBR Contact: John Welsey Smith A Virtual Pre-Bid Conference will be held 11/17/20, 2:00 pm (see Section 00020, Item 11, for link and instructions on attending the virtual Pre-bid Meeting). Offers due prior to 2:00 pm on 12/10/20. Compliance plans due prior to 2:00 PM on 12/10/20. Offers will be opened on 12/10/20 at 3:00 PM (see Section 00020, Item 3, for link to virtual bid opening). MBE/WBE Goals: African American 2.31% Hispanic 6.62% Asian/Native American 1.07% WBE – 2.26%

Trades Summary Street Light Poles And Sandards S Fencing, Chain Link (Inclu Fabric, Gates, Pane Fencing, Temporary (For Construction Other Ind Pipe, Concrete Irrigation Systems, Supplies, Parts, Accessori Grass Seed Sod, Grass Site Work Masonry/Concrete/Stucco, Maint/Finishing/Repair Clearing And Grubbing Services Construction, Irrigation System Foundation, Light Pole. This Item Shall Consist Demolition Services Excavation Services Management, Construction Paver Block Installation Construction, Curb /Gutter Maint/Repair/Removal) Construction, Parking Lot And Alley Construction, Pipeline Construction, Sewer And Storm Drain Constr, Sidewalk/Driveway (Incl Handicap Ramps) Driveway Pavement, Portland Cement Concrete. Bituminous Base Course, Removal Of Existing. Base Course, Bituminous. Maintenance And Repair, Parking Lot And Alley Sawing Concrete Drivewys, Pave, Sidewalks Masonry Pavement Marking Svcs (Including Removal Of Removal And Replacement Of Traffic Signs Traffic Control Device Placement/ Removal Svs Tree And Shrub Removal Services Toilets, Portable, Rental Or Lease Landscaping Including Design/Fertilizing, Planting Landscaping, Tree/Plant Protection During Con

Project Name: LAKE AUSTIN-MEREDITH ST. STORM DRAIN IMRPOVEMENTS Solicitation Number: IFB 6100 CLMC834 Solicitation Cost Estimate: $4,183,373 Scope of Work: Mitigate local flooding issues by designing and constructing a new storm drain system which includes pipe, inlets and manholes on Meredith St, Rockmoor Ave, and Cherry Lane. General Information: Download bid docs from the City of Austin Vendor Connection website at https://www.austintexas.gov/financeonline/vendor_connection/index.cfm . No Deposit required. For info: Fredrick Reza, Project Manager, 512-974-7204 or fredrick.reza@austintexas.gov. A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on 12/15/2020 at 9:00 A.M. (Austin time), via webinar. All bids and compliance plans are due prior to (Austin time) 2:00 PM on 1/7/2020. Offers will be opened on 1/7/2020 at 3:00 PM. MBE/WBE Goals: African American 2.04% Hispanic 6.25% Native/Asian 0.53% WBE .78%

Trades Summary: Pipe, Culvert Fencing, Chain Link (Inclu Fabric, Gates, Pane Barricades, Traffic, Portable Pipe, Pvc (Polyvinyl Chloride) Irrigation Systems, Supplies, Parts, Accessori Grass Seed Sod, Grass Manholes, Manhole Covers/Frames/Grates/Ring Shoring And Reinforcement Services Box Culverts, Concrete. Work Shall Consist Of Cofferdams, Construction Of. Cofferdams Headwalls, Concrete, Work Shall Consist Of Fu Construction, Irrigation System Excavation Services Construction, Curb/Gutter (Maint, Repair, Remv) Construction, Pipe Culvert Back Fill, Porous Granular Material For Back Filli Back Fil/Trench. Furnish/Transport Fine Aggr) Construction, Pipeline Construction, Sewer And Storm Drain Construction, Street (Major/Residl)(Incl Reconstr Base Course, Portland Cement Concrete. Embankments, Construction Of. Work Shall Cons Construction, Utility/Underground Projects Construction, Water System, Main/Service Line Inlets, Construction Of. Work Shall Consist O Manholes, Construction Of. Work Shall Consist Meter Vaults, Reconstruction Of. Work Shall C Photography, Construction Hauling Services Tree And Shrub Removal Services Erosion Control Services Fence Installation And Repair

Project Name: Bryker Road Water and Wastewater Pipeline Renewal Solicitation Number: IFB 6100 CLMC831 Estimated Value: Not Available solicitations will be received prior to the date and time indicated for the following project(s) at the Capital Contracting Office, One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd., Ste.1045-B, Austin, TX or received electronically via Austin Finance Online, then publicly opened virtually at 3:00P on the solicitation due date. Offers Due Prior to: 2:00P on 1/14/21 MBE Goals: African American – 1.44% Hispanic – 6.36% Asian/Native American – 0.38% WBE – 1.22% SMBR Contact: John Wesley Smith

Trades Summary: Barricades, Traffic, Portable Concrete, Precast Flexible Base Excavation Services Construction, Pipeline Paving/Resurfacing, Street (Major/Residential) Erosion Control Services

Get City - MBE/WBE/DBE Certified!

2020. . . Keep Your MBE/WBE/DBE Certifications

Current with the City of Austin Small & Minority Business Resources

Department (SMBR) Certification Division.

For more information call 512-974-7645

2020. . . Keep Your MBE/WBE/DBE Certifications Current with the City of Austin

Small & Minority Business Resources Department (SMBR) Certification Division

For more information call 512-974-7645

Public Works: Not long after a critical audit of the city's c o n t r a c t i n g e q u i t y p r o -gram, Portland, Oregon's procurement chief, Lester Spitler, resigned from his job. Among the troubles noted in the audit was a set-aside component for prime contracts that the auditors claimed actually was "a barrier" to a more diverse mix of companies winning prime contracts. A prominent city commission mem-ber blasted the city procurement depart-ment and its staff during an agency ses-sion on Oct. 22. "It is very disappointing to me that we continue to say one thing [but then] allow city resources to be gamed so that the same white major contractors resource all the benefit," said Commis-sioner Jo Ann Hardesty. Spitler, according to a local report, resigned about two weeks after the council session. Neither Spitler nor other city officials responded to re-quests for comment. Minority-owned con-tractors did not individually return calls for comment, but their statewide association had much to say. But a review of the audit, which is dated September, and responses to it by the state chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors casts the eight-year-old city program in a differ-ent light. NAMC-Oregon also "expressed its com-plete confidence" in Spitler, "who inherited a host of problems" and needs more re-sources. Like the city's auditors, NAMC cited several milestones the program suc-cessfully met related to subcontracting goals and workforce diversity. But NAMC also cited failings, especially the ability of city departments to bundle contracts so that they could not be won by certified firms. The media focus on the prime con-tractor development program is unfortu-nate, said Nate McCoy, NAMC Oregon executive director, in a letter to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. "We wish to express our overall disappointment at the dispro-portionate amount of attention," wrote M c C o y . T h e d i f f e r -ing perspectives are interesting for several reasons. Since the nationwide demonstra-tions following the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, after he was stopped by police in Minneapolis, racism in the construction industry has been explored but efforts to redress disparities in public works contracting have received compara-tively little public examination, some ob-servers say. Such efforts have been a key feature of public works since the late 1960s and early 1970s, with 38 state-wide pro-grams as of 2016, according to the Na-tional Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Numerous city and county pro-grams also exist in the U.S. Harris County, Texas, is the latest created. Law-makers there voted earlier this month to launch a program, although the city of Houston, located within the county, already has one. Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have state-level minority-business enter-prise (MBE) development programs involv-ing certification for participation in public works procurement, independent of exist-ing federal disadvantaged-business enter-prise (DBE) development programs, ac-cording to NCSL. California voters re-jected a broad affirmative action referen-dum earlier this month that, had it passed, was seen as paving the way for a state-wide program. Portland's eight-year-old program has "vexed" city officials several times since its inception, according to OregonLive, a local news website. "The last three audits said the same thing," city Commissioner Hardesty noted. In 2012, Portland established a contracting equity strategy to increase the numbers of minority-owned, women-owned and emerging small businesses in city contract-ing. By 2020, the strategy had five different initiatives that sought to create alternatives to low-bid contracting that would provide training, technical assistance and grants. They included subcontracting goals, awards based on best-value that include diversity goals and a prime contractor development program that offers training and technical assistance and limits compe-tition for contracts of $1 million and under to participating firms. Certified companies included those owned by historically disad-vantaged groups and veteran-owned and emerging small business, which could be owned by white men. According to the audit report, Portland's program met or nearly met goals for minority subcontrac-tors (15%), employment of appren-tices (20%) and women (9%). The city surpassed its goal of 18% for minority group workers, reporting 30%.The auditors

d e s c r i b e d t h e p r o g r a m a s "exceeding some goals and close to meet-ing others."

The audit also targeted flops: Portland designed workforce and contrac-tor diversity grant initiatives to set aside 1% of a project’s construction costs for grants to promote the development of a diverse pool of contractors and workers. The auditors wrote that this program was nonfunctional partly because projected city construction spending at the time it was created had failed to reach an anticipated $125 million a year. Also, construction projects "funded by bonds, utility, and gas tax revenues, were restricted by law and may be unavailable or impractical for use with the grants program," the auditors stated. Auditors reserved most of their criticism for the prime contracting develop-ment program. With about four out of 10 of the eligible prime contracts awarded to companies operated by white people, the auditors characterized the program as a barrier to minority contractor involvement rather than an expedient. The city's procurement department did not set goals or effectively monitor the pro-gram, opening the door to "gaming" of contract awards and the potential for bid-rigging and collusion, the auditors wrote. "Our review of contracting data shows participants were awarded 133 program-eligible projects worth $56 million," the auditors wrote. "But bureaus awarded an additional $33.6 million in program-eligible contracts to firms outside the program, on the open market. Of these, bureaus awarded program-eligible contracts worth at least $18.2 million to open-market con-tractors without an exemption from the city's chief procurement officer. This vio-lated City rules. It also potentially withheld opportunities for wealth generation from program participants." Prime Contractor Development Program-eligible projects, the auditors added, had been dominated by "a few well-equipped firms."

Minority Contractors Cite City and Audit Flaws McCoy and NAMC-Oregon also note prob-lems in how the prime contractor develop-ment program was audited. One was auditors' failure to separate out city con-tract award data to reveal more detail on who benefitted. "The Auditor's Office did not provide any disaggregation of this citywide data, which is crucial to be able to evaluate actual performance, nor of where and how those goals were being met," says the NAMC-Oregon letter. "Were they all in flagging, labor, final cleanup and other lower-paying trades or were they in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, operating engineers and the highest-paying trades?" McCoy and NAMC-Oregon also asked why companies owned by women were lumped in with those owned by Black, indigenous or people of color. "The City needs to understand that the obstacle the BIPOC [Black, indigenous or people of color] businesses face are not always the same obstacles" for women-owned firms, especially those "with white males in leadership." Assigning all the blame to Portland's procurement is also a mistake, the letter to the mayor claims. The thrust of the McCoy-NAMC critique is reserved for the city transportation depart-ment and water and environmental agen-cies, which are blamed for "willfully dodg-ing of the program," especially by bundling contracts. According to the letter, auditors rightly assessed that "by the time a project is sent to procurement, most of the significant decisions regarding minority contracting impacts have already been made by bu-reaus with weak track records in this area." McCoy and NAMC-Oregon cited unauthor-ized contract exemptions from the equity program and urged a comprehensive investigation of bureau contracting prac-tices.

Source:

  

UPCOMING AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECT   

Project Name:   Various Improvements and Window Replacement at      Barrington Elementary School Solicitation No:  21CSP046 Virtual Pre‐Proposal Conf:  10:00 AM CST, November 17, 2020, Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/    j/89129034560?pwd=alN0R2JyNzh6Zi92QXdhOENvcmhsQT09 Meeting ID: 891 2903 4560   Passcode: 12345 Virtual Bid Opening:   02:00 PM CST, December 8, 2020, Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84578391338?pwd=ZGNhYWtqUE5Kc3ozaXVCM25wamthUT09 Meeting ID: 845 7839 1338 Passcode: 12345 Due to COVID‐19 precautions, to prevent the spread of COVID‐19, and in an effort to provide ongo‐ing support and services, Austin ISD will accept proposals via email to morgan.wright@austinisd.org no later than December 8, 2020 at 2:00PM CST.  For Further Instructions:  https://www.austinisd.org/cp/bids    Morgan Wright (morgan.wright@austinisd.org)   AISD Contract & Procurement Svcs HUB Goals:  African American:  1.7%      Asian/Native American:  1.9%   Hispanic:      8.1%   Women Business Enterprise: 10.2%   

Project Trade Summary Hazardous Matl. Abatement                            Roofing                Windows, Aluminum                    Painting Pipe, Cast Iron                                                     Plumbing             Heating, Ventilating, Air/Con      Electri‐cal  

Project Name:  HVAC Replacement at Kiker Elementary School Solicitation No:  21CSP053 Virtual Pre‐Proposal Conf:  10:00 AM CST, November 18, 2020, Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82573161537?pwd=Nk5vVnRHa3FRNGtiblIvUkx3NHhqUT09 Meeting ID:  825 7316 1537   Passcode:  12345 Virtual Bid Opening:   02:00 PM CST, December 16, 2020, Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84139291564?pwd=aUE2UHVLSDBvcjVwVkxtc0RpbHhFUT09 Meeting ID: 841 3929 1564   Passcode: 12345 Due to COVID‐19 precautions, to prevent the spread of COVID‐19, and in an effort to provide ongo‐ing support and services, Austin ISD will accept proposals via email to morgan.wright@austinisd.org no later than December 16, 2020 at 2:00PM CST.  For Further Instructions:         https://www.austinisd.org/cp/bids Morgan Wright                                                       Morgan.wright@austinisd.org)                                                       AISD Contract & Procurement Svcs HUB Goals:                                 MBE:  11.7%       WBE:  10.2%   

Project Trade Summary Insulation                                   Roofing                                       Heating, Ventilating, Air/Con  

Project Name:  Wireless Network Upgrades Solicitation No:  21RFP060 Date for Questions:  05:00 PM CST, November 30, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      Questions 21RFP056 Wireless Network Upgrades Proposal Deadline:   02:00 PM CST, December 16, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      21RFP060 Wireless Network Upgrades/Vendor Name/Submission Attached For Info And Submission:        Brenda Dalton, Senior Procurement Specialist                                                      Contract and Procurement Services                                                      Phone: 512‐414‐2113                                                      Brenda.dalton@austinisd.org  

Project Name:  Campus Distribution Switches Solicitation No:  21RFP059 Date for Questions:  05:00 PM CST, November 30, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      Questions 21RFP059 Campus Distribution Switches Proposal Deadline:   02:00 PM CST, December 16, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      121RFP059 Campus Distribution Switches/Vendor Name/Submission Attached For Info And Submission:  Brenda Dalton, Senior Procurement Specialist 

Contract and Procurement Services Phone: 512‐414‐2113 

  Brenda.dalton@austinisd.org 

Project Name:  Internet Firewall Replacements Solicitation No:  21RFP057 Date for Questions:  05:00 PM CST, November 30, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      Questions 21RFP057 Internet Firewall Replacements Proposal Deadline:   02:00 PM CST, December 16, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      121RFP057 Internet Firewall Replacements/Vendor Name/Submission Attached For Info And Submission:        Brenda Dalton, Senior Procurement Specialist                                                      Contract and Procurement Services                                                      Phone: 512‐414‐2113 

                                                     Brenda.dalton@austinisd.org 

Project Name:  Internet Router Upgrades Solicitation No:  21RFP058 Date for Questions:  05:00 PM CST, November 30, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      Questions 21RFP058 Internet Router Upgrades Proposal Deadline:   02:00 PM CST, December 16, 2020     Submit via email.     Subject line:      121RFP058 Internet Router Upgrades/Vendor Name/Submission Attached For Info And Submission:        Brenda Dalton                                                      Senior Procurement Specialist 

                                                     Contract and Procurement Services 

                                                     Phone: 512‐414‐2113 

List your company for construction and construction related opportunities: MBE/WBE/DBE/HUB Certifications do not guaran-tee your company a contract from the city, county, state, federal governments or the private sector. You still have to market your company to each individual entity you desire to do business with.

To help you market your company to these entities, contact the following certifying agencies and get on their bidder’s list.  

City of Austin MBE/WBE/DBE Certification Small & Minority  Business Resources Dept. 4201 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Austin, TX 78721 Contact:  Certification Division  512‐974‐7645   ‐State of Texas ‐   

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts  Statewide HUB Program HUB Certification 1711 San  Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX Contact:  512‐475‐2414  

  

     

 TXDot (Texas Department of Transportation) Diversity & Economic Opportunity Office 125 East 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701 Contact:  512‐486‐5501  

Other Certifying Agencies that serves  the State of Texas  

North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency 624 Six Flags Drive, Ste 216,  Arlington, TX Contact:  817‐640‐0606  

South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency  301 So. Frio, Ste 310, San Antonio, TX   Contact:  210‐227‐4722 

Note: Travis County and the Lower Colo-rado River Authority accepts MBE/WBE Certifications from the City of Austin and HUB Certification from the Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts Statewide HUB Program. Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority accepts DBE Certification from the City of Austin Small and Minority Business Resources Depart-ment.

OUTREACH & RECRUITING AUSTIN AREA BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES PROGRAM

The Austin Area Black Contractors Association, (ABCA) is currently recruiting African American Contractors who are City of Austin Certified Minority Construction Contractors in need of services and assistance to help grow their businesses in the construction industry. The following is a list of services and assistance offered to the user at no cost: • Provide a plans room to view & check-out plans & specs • Assist with reading & interpreting plans & specs • Advise on Cost Estimating Techniques • Advise on bid packaging requirements & documents • Disseminate Bid Tabulations • Review & advise on contracts & agreements • Advise on filing liens, bond claims & change orders • Develop Company Profile Resumes • Assist with networking, pre bid conferences & referrals • Provide guidelines for user friendly marketing plans • Publish and disseminate weekly, Bid Briefs announcing upcoming construction bid opportunities Provide Interactive Group and On-line Training Provide One-On-One Technical Assistance

If you have any questions regarding the program’s services and enrollment process, contact: Carol Hadnot, Program Manager / Consultant

Phone: 512-467-6894 ofc | E-mail: brc-pro@att.net ABCA Website: abcatx.com

Download ABCA’s Website @ www.abcatx.com and click on the

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Flip Pages 40-44 for more information

on the Coronavirus Disease and long term affects on the US Construction Industry.

Centennial Contractors Enterprise is soliciting State of Texas HUB certified business participation for the following Texas Health and Human Services Commission project.

Project Name: Austin State Supported Living Center, Generator and HVAC

Replacements 2203 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703

Solicitation #: 18-108-AUL / CCE#: 73360-0033 Bids are due by: December 14, 2020 by 8:00 a.m.

Email bids to Ernest Garcia egar-cia@cce-inc.com and Trina Koch tkoch@cce-inc.com

Project Summary includes but not limited to: Lead Abatement / Demolition Project Scope: Work includes all mechanical wall and floor penetrations in Building 543 only. Includes lead abatement and disposal Plans / Specifications: Below is a link to the cur-rent project documents and photos: https://cce.sharefile.com/d-sa38f244fa3214a679fdcacee614db471 Plans can be viewed at 2305 Donley Dr, Suite 108, Austin, TX 78758, call 512-220-2696 to schedule a time For detailed information on the scope(s) of work being subcontracted and the relevant terms and conditions please contact Ernest Garcia, Project Manager at (512) 714-4581 egarcia@cce-inc.com Insurance and Bonding requirements: General Liability with aggregate of $2m / Auto combined single limit $500,000 (Any auto / owned autos / hired autos and non-owned) / Excess – $1m only if GL is $1m / Workers Comp $500,000 per statue and Payment / Performance bonds required on contracts over $100,000.00. Please contact Ernest Garcia with any questions.

The Burt Group invites you to submit a proposal for UT Restroom Renovation at Kinsolving Residence Hall located at 2605 Whitis Ave, Austin, Texas 78705.

This project is a renovation of community restrooms. The pro-ject consists of selective demoli-tion, rebuild masonry partitions, Portland cement plastering, gyp-sum wall board ceilings, paint, and plumbing of restrooms. The project is scheduled to be-gin May 31, 2021 with a com-pletion date of August 29, 2021. See plan room for addi-tional schedule information. As-sume project is to be phased. MEP Notes: Base bid- MEP’s to make safe & tag existing equip-ment for demo contractor to remove. MEP contractor to pro-vide add alternate to demo ex-isting equipment.

IMPORTANT DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 

RFI Deadline: Thurs, Nov 19, 2020 5PM 

Bid Due: Tues, Dec 8, 2020 at 2PM  

Project Plans & Specs available for review and download at our SMART-BID site. RESPOND ASAP WITH YOUR INTENTIONS TO BID

●INCLUDE ALL LEAD TIMES ON YOUR PROPOSAL. IF A LEAD TIME EXCEEDS 6 WEEKS, PLEASE PROVIDE AN ADD-ALT TO EXPEDITE.

●Pricing must be broken out to the fullest extent possible.

●This project is TAX EXEMPT. PLEASE EXCLUDE ALL TAX ON YOUR PRO-POSAL.

●Please note and price separately, any alternates on plans and/or in pricing notes.  

●REVIEW ALL PLAN DOCUMENTS, INSURANCE REQUIRE-MENTS & BUILDING RULES & REGULATIONS

YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED. WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND IF YOU DECIDE TO NOT BID WE NEED TIME TO PUR-

SUE OTHER AVENUES. questions regarding this project, please contact

Sam Hernandez, Project Estimator (512) 681-4027

sam@burtgroup.com

Bid Proposal Invitation UT – Maintenance Restroom Renovation

Kinsolving Dorm

BID DATE: December 8, 2020 TIME: 2:00 PM PROJECT CONTACT: Shannon Brunner, shannon.brunner@flintco.com

DESCRIPTION: Flintco, LLC is requesting proposals for the Restroom Renovation at Kinsolving Dormitory.

This project will consist of renovation of community bath-rooms on 6 floors (Ground through 5th Floor) in the UT Kinsolving Dormitory.

This project will require the following services: final clean, demolition & abatement, masonry, miscellaneous metals, millwork, doors/frames/hardware, glazing, drywall, plaster, tile, flooring, painting, specialties, fire protection, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire alarm.

Wage Rates are applicable to the project and are located in the Files / Plan Room.

Proposals will be due on 12/08/20 at 2:00 PM by email to AUSBids@flintco.com, via SmartBidNet.com, fax at (512) 822-7500.

Please contact Shannon Brun-ner (Shannon.brunner@flintco.com) for bid invitations via email or (512) 822-7468.

Flintco, LLC is an EEO Employer and all HUB, Minority and Small Local Business Subcontractors are encouraged to bid.

SBA to release names, loan amounts of all PPP borrowers A federal judge ordered the Small Business Ad-ministration on Thursday to release by Nov. 19 the names of all Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan borrowers and precise loan amounts. "The significant public interest in shedding light on SBA's administration of the PPP and EIDL program dramatically out-weighs any limited private interest in nondisclo-sure," Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia wrote in his order. The SBA in July disclosed the names, addresses, ZIP codes, demographic data and industry codes of borrowers on PPP loans of $150,000 or more. However, that list accounts for less than 15% of loans made through the pro-gram. Roughly 4.5 million of the 5.2 million PPP loans were for $150,000 or less, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing SBA data. Thursday's order comes in connection to a lawsuit five media organizations filed in May over a lack of transpar-ency in the loan programs. The Washington Post, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Dow Jones and ProPublica requested the data under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) the previous month, to no avail. The SBA argued that disclosing the names of loan recipients could violate their pri-vacy because PPP loans are tailored to the size of a business's payroll. Boasberg, however, de-nied the SBA's request to keep the data confiden-tial, saying the loan application "expressly notified potential borrowers — admittedly in a form dis-claimer — that their names and loan amounts would be 'automatically released' upon a FOIA request." The SBA declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal on the case. Boasberg's or-der also would provide extra specificity to data the SBA has already released. In July, rather than publish specific loan amounts, the agency grouped PPP loans into five amount ranges: $150,000 to $350,000; $350,000 to $1 million; $1 million to $2 million; $2 million to $5 million; and $5 million to $10 million. Thursday's order re-quires the SBA to be more specific. Government agencies have repeatedly warned of the risk of fraud associated with both the PPP and EIDL. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in June said the number of PPP loans approved, the speed with which they were processed, and lim-

ited safeguards left the program open to "significant risk that some fraudulent or inflated applications were approved." The SBA's inspec-tor general in late July called for closer oversight of the EIDL program over fraud concerns, and followed up last week with a report indicating that the SBA has referred more than 80,000 loans to law enforcement. Law enforcement has seized about $450 million in oubtful payments, and loans worth tens of billions of dollars more require fur-ther investigation, SBA Inspector General Hanni-bal Mike" Ware said. The SBA warned banks in recent months to investigate suspicious activity tied to the program. That led Wells Fargo to fire more than 100 employees who made false repre-sentations on EIDL applications, and JPMorgan Chase to dismiss several workers who improperly applied for and received aid through the program. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) received 2,495 suspicious-activity re-ports (SARs) involving business loans in Septem-ber, The Wall Street Journal reported. That would mark the fifth consecutive month in which the number of SAR filings broke the previous record. FinCEN chief Kenneth Blanco warned anti-money laundering experts this fall that online vendors were selling a how-to guide of sorts for creating fraudulent coronavirus aid applications, according to the Journal. The Justice Department has charged 73 defendants in PPP-related fraud cases, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an agency spokesman. Lawmakers' staff and media organizations have found a litany of discrepancies when analyzing PPP and EIDL data. A Bloomberg analysis of the SBA's July data set found more than 554,000 applications listed zero in the PPP application's "jobs retained" field. The field was blank for another 324,122. Another data field — congressional district — was listed incor-rectly for roughly 226,000 borrowers, Bloomberg found. Bloomberg also identified $1.3 billion in suspicious payments tied to the EIDL program because the number of grants in 52 congressional districts exceeded the number of eligible small businesses. Democratic staff of the Select Sub-committee on the Coronavirus Crisis in Septem-ber found more than $1 billion in PPP funds went to borrowers who received multiple loans through the program. Borrowers who have been debarred or suspended from doing business with the fed-eral government received about $96.3 million in PPP funding, the analysis found. And more than

11,000 borrowers accounting for nearly $3 billion in loans used information on their PPP applica-tions that mismatches data contained in the fed-eral government's System for Award Management (SAM) database. The SBA and Treasury Depart-ment approved hundreds of loan applications that did not contain the borrower's identifying informa-tion, such as names and addresses, the panel's analysis found. Early in the PPP's lifespan, if a company had fewer than 500 employees and certified “current economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary to support the ongoing operations,” it was generally approved, The dis-tinction now is what activity can be chalked up to error and what constitutes fraud. “They don’t charge mistakes. They charge intentional lies,” Tarek Helou, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Good-rich & Rosati who once served as a Justice De-partment prosecutor, told The Wall Street Jour-nal. “The scandal is what’s legal, not what’s illegal.” The SBA and the Treasury Department have said they aim to focus their audit on loans of more than $2 million. While that covers about 20% of the total amount lent, it represents less than 1% of total loans, according to SBA data. “With the pas-sage of time, it becomes much more troubling when the fraud framework is not in place,” William Shear, director in the GAO’s financial market and community investment team, told the House Small Business Committee last month. “There are too many questions that go unanswered.” (Source: Construction Dive)

OUTREACH & RECRUITING AUSTIN AREA BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES PROGRAM

The Austin Area Black Contractors Association, (ABCA) is currently recruiting African American Contractors who are City of Austin Certified Minority Construction Contractors in need of services and assistance to help grow their businesses in the construction industry. The following is a list of services and assistance are offered to the user at no cost: Construction Management and Administration • Provide a plans room to view & check-out plans & specs • Assist with reading & interpreting plans & specs • Advise on Cost Estimating Techniques • Advise on bid packaging requirements & documents • Disseminate Bid Tabulations

Business Law and Contracts • Review & advise on contracts & agreements • Advise on filing liens, bond claims & change orders

Marketing • Develop Company Profile Resumes • Assist with networking, pre bid conferences & referrals • Provide guidelines for user friendly marketing plans • Publish and disseminate weekly, Bid Briefs announcing upcoming construction bid opportunities

” Provide Interactive Group and On-line Training ” Provide One-On-One Technical Assistance

If you have any questions regarding the program’s services and enrollment process, please contact:

Carol S. Hadnot, Program Manager / Consultant Phone: 512-467-6894 ofc | E-mail: brc-pro@att.net

ABCA Website: abcatx.com

The Austin Area Black Contractors Association is reaching out to all

African American Construction Contractors located in the five county areas of

Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop and Caldwell

SMBR’s new address: Moved to 811 Barton Springs Road Suite 805 Austin, Texas 78704 Phone No. 512-974-7600

The Next Pages Cover

Study: In COVID's First Wave, 'Essential' Construction in Texas Escalated Hospitalizations

On March 24,  

as the coronavirus pandemic spread, the City of Austin, Texas en‐acted  a  stay  home‐work  safe  order  that  shut  down  any  non‐essential construction. But a week later, Gov. Greg Abbott (R), said all  construction  in  the  state  should go on,  so Austin's  commercial and residential projects reopened. City Mayor Steve Adler commissioned a research team at the Uni‐versity of Texas medical school  in Houston to explore the  implica‐tions of keeping construction sites open. Researchers determined by  examining  statistics  and mathematical modeling  that keeping those projects open could worsen the virus spread. 

Since  then,  the  research  team  has  found  real‐life  examples  and evidence that keeping construction workers on the  job during the pandemic increases not just potential virus spread, but also the risk of hospitalizations.  

According  to  its  study,  Latino  construction  workers,  who  have higher  incidence  of  respiratory  and  other  illnesses,  are  espe‐cially susceptible 

The  research, described  in  a  recent  article  on  the website of  the Journal of  the American Medical Association, has  fresh  relevance, with  coronavirus  outbreaks  reaching  peaks  in  many  states  and shutdowns on construction sites controversial in the spring. 

Construction workers  have  long  been  known  to  have  higher  inci‐dence of health problems and comparative aversion to flu shots. 

A research study several years ago showed that construction craft workers are  less  likely  than other  types of workers  to have  them‐selves vaccinated for seasonal flu. In May, the news bulletin of the union‐funded  Center  for  Construction  Research  and  Training pointed out that 1.4 million construction workers, or 12.3% of the total, were 60 or older. Nearly one in five had a respiratory disease, one in five were smokers, and altogether nearly six out of 10 had at least one factor that put them “at higher risk of severe illness from COVID‐19, the center reported in its bulletin. 

Using data on hospitalizations, the University of Texas researchers modeled  statistics  about  COVID‐19‐related  hospitalizations  and simulated different  scenarios  that  varied  the  size of  the construc‐tion workforce and level of worksite transmission. After varying the 

simulations  500  times  for  each  scenario,  the  association between continued  construction  work  and  hospitalizations  was  compared with actual hospital data from central Texas through August. 

The  risk  to  construction  workers  of  allowing  unrestricted  work through  that  period  in‐creased the risk from .38 per 1,000 residents to 1.5 per  1,000  residents,  the article  authors  wrote. The  risk  to  construction workers themselves grew from  0.22  to  9.3  per 1,000  workers  ‐‐almost five times greater. 

Clusters Identified The  Austin  metro  area provided  plenty  of  op‐portunity  for  statistical study. As of mid‐May, the researchers  showed,  city health  officials  had  iden‐tified  19  clusters  of  at least  three  confirmed COVID‐19  cases  at  con‐struction jobsites. By mid‐July,  23  more  had emerged.  The  research team found that in hospi‐talization  case  reports 

through Aug. 20,   77 of 515  individuals aged 18 to 64 years  listed their occupations as construction. 

Noting the high percentage of Latino construction workers, and the five‐fold  increase  in  hospitalization  due  to  COVID‐19,  the  authors wrote  that  "as  the  United  States  navigates  relaxing  and  enacting policies  to mitigate  the  COVID‐19  pandemic,  communities  should recognize  the  disproportionate  burden  of  illness  already  experi‐enced by workers in low‐paying, high contact industries." 

The  authors  suggest  that  "closing  semi‐essential  industries  during pandemic waves, enhancing workplace  safety policies and provid‐ing  paid  sick‐leave  could  offset  these  risks"  and  prevent  further disparities in the sicknesses and deaths during the pandemic. 

Photo: Richard Korman for ENR

Product Information 

Tool Bag: Durable Design 

The Massive Mouth bags are available in sizes ranging from 12 in. to 30 in. As the name implies, the tool bags feature a wide opening. The 26‐in. version is lined in plastic and has 62 pockets and  loops,  including  mesh  and  exterior  plastic‐lined  pockets. The  bag  can  be  carried  by  a  padded  shoulder  strap  or  steel‐reinforced handles, with extra side handles to help with heavy loads. The zipper can be  locked to protect the contents of the bag. ToughBuilt; www.toughbuilt.com  

The New Normal:  8 Ways The Coronavirus Crisis  

Is Changing Construction   

1. Jobsites will be cleaner and safer   

2. Distancing will be the norm, via technology 

3. Projects will take longer 

4. Telework will become more common 

5. Union influence will grow 

6. Demand for project types will change 

7. Supply chains will recalibrate 

8. Modular adoption will increase 

OSHA reveals most-violated standards

related to COVID-19

OSHA has published a list of the most-violated standards during COVID-19 inspections in an effort to help employers better protect their workers. The agency also issued guidance that will assist contractors and other businesses in passing,jobsite inspections.

The most frequently cited violations are those related to respiratory protection (1910.134) and specifically, the lack of medical evaluations and fit tests. The next-most violated stan-dards are related to respiratory protection programs: not implementing a written program with worksite-specific safety procedures; not providing employees with information about using respirators when their use is not mandatory; and not designating a qualified adminis-trator to ensure the respiratory program's effectiveness.

OSHA is using existing standards when inspecting jobsites for COVID-19violations be-cause it chose not to develop and issue COVID-19-specific emergency standards due to the evolving guidance from public health officials. The AFL-CIO tried to get the agency to provide specific guidance, but its legal challenge was unsuccessful.

In addition to respiratory protection citations, OSHA also cited employers with violations

Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Subpart 1904).

Personal Protective Equipment (1910.132)

General Duty Clause (OSH Act 5(a)(1)). On its website, OSHA says that in order to come into compliance in advance of an inspection, employers should consider:

Providing a medical evaluation before a worker is fit-tested or uses a respirator.

Using a tight-fitting respirator to perform the fit test.

Assessing the workplace to determine if COVID-19 hazards are or are likely to be present and if they will require the use of a respirator and/or other

Establishing, implementing and updating a written, worksite-specific respiratory protection program;

Providing an appropriate respirator and/or other PPE to each employee when necessary.

Providing up-to-date training to workers on the safe use of respirators and/or other PPE.

Properly storing respirators and other PPE to protect them from damage.

Timely reporting of work-related fatalities.

Keeping required records of work-related fatalities, injuries and illness. Employers are required to make sure employees wear respirators when jobsite conditions call for their use. Some respirators capture fumes, others dust, but they should not be

confused with face coverings like masks and shields that do not achieve as tight a fit. OSHA has issued guidance that construction workers wear face coverings while on the job in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to practice social distancing when possible. In the absence of federal OSHA standards regarding the novel coronavirus, some states — Virginia, Michigan and Oregon, which have OSHA-approved state safety pro-grams — have introduced COVID-19 emergency standards. While each program is differ-ent in its details, they all have similar components such as the mandatory use of face cov-erings, social distancing and daily screening of workers and visitors for signs of infection. One COVID-19-related rule that OSHA has introduced is the mandatory reporting of work-place-related COVID fatalities within eight hours of learning about it. The reporting is only required if the case was connected to workplace exposure. Source: Construction Dive

 

 

 

 

As of September 17, Employers may operate their offices with up to 75% of the total office occupancy, provided the individuals maintain appropriate social distancing. All employees and customers must wear a face covering (over the nose and mouth) wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another individual not in the same household .

Health Protocols for Employees and Contractors

Train all employees and contractors on appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand

hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.

Screen employees and contractors before coming into the office.

Send home any employee or contractor who has any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19:

Do not allow employees or contractors with new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above to return to work until: In the case of an employee or contractor who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to work when all three of the following criteria are met: at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); and the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; or and at least 10 days have passed since symp toms first appeared; or

In the case of an employee or contractor who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to work until the individual has completed the same three-step criteria listed above; or

If the employee or contractor has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to work before completing the above self-isolation period, the individual must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.

Do not allow an employee or contractor with known close contact to a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19 to return to work until the end of the 14 day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure (with an exception granted for healthcare workers and critical infrastructure workers).

Have employees and contractors wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the office.

Consider implementing a staggered workforce, such as alternating days or weeks for different work groups of employees and/or contractors coming into the workplace.

Continue to encourage individuals to work remotely if possible.

If an employer provides a meal for employees and/or contractors, the employers is recommended to have the meal individually packed.

Facility Protocols:

Limit the use of standard-size elevators to four individuals at a time, each located at a different corner of the elevator to avoid close contract. Masks should be worn on elevators. As appropriate, individuals subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may ride the elevator alone or accompanied by the individual’s caregiver. Make hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap and water, or similar disinfectant readily available. Additional COVID-19 Resources - PPE, Testing Sites & Information Austin Public Health, CommUnityCare, and Central Health are hosting a series of free personal protective equipment (PPE) distributions over the next several weeks in areas with high COVID-19 positivity rates based on testing data. The distributions will provide hand sanitizer, masks, and educational materials. COVID-19 Information from Austin Public Health - www.austintexas.gov/COVID19 COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Distribution (PPE) - www.austintexas.gov/PPE COVID-19 Testing Sites www.austintexas.gov/covid-testinfo COVID-19 Business Recovery – www.atxrecovers.com COVID-19 Rent 2.0 Assistance – www.austintexas.gov/RENT

As of September 17, Employers may operate their offices with up to 75% of the total office occupancy, provided the individuals maintain appropriate social distancing.

All employees and customers must wear a face covering (over the nose and mouth) wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another individual not in the same household.

Health Protocols for Employees and Contractors

Train all employees and contractors on appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.

Screen employees and contractors before coming into the office.

Send home any employee or contractor who has any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19:

Do not allow employees or contractors with new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above to return to work until: In the case of an employee or contractor who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to work when all three of the following criteria are met: at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); and the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; In the case of an employee or contractor who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to work until the individual has completed the same three-step criteria listed above; or

If the employee or contractor has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to work before completing the above self-isolation period, the individual must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.

Do not allow an employee or contractor with known close contact to a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19 to return to work until the end of the 14 day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure (with an exception granted for health-care workers and critical infrastructure workers).

Have employees and contractors wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the office.

Consider implementing a staggered workforce, such as alternating days or weeks for different work groups of employees and/or contractors coming into the workplace.

Continue to encourage individuals to work remotely if possible. If an employer provides a meal for employees and/or contractors, the employers is recommended to have the meal individually packed.

Facility Protocols: Limit the use of standard-size elevators to four individuals at a time, each located at a different corner of the elevator to avoid close contract.

Masks should be worn on elevators.

As appropriate, individuals subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

may ride the elevator alone or accompanied by the individual’s caregiver.

Make hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap and water, or similar disinfectant readily available. Additional COVID-19 Resources - PPE, Testing Sites & Information

Austin Public Health, CommUnityCare, and Central Health are hosting a series of free

personal protective equipment (PPE) distributions over the next several weeks in areas

with high COVID-19 positivity rates based on testing data. The distributions will

provide hand sanitizer, masks, and educational materials.

COVID-19 Information from Austin Public Health - www.austintexas.gov/COVID19 COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Distribution (PPE) - www.austintexas.gov/PPE COVID-19 Testing Sites - www.austintexas.gov/covid-testinfo COVID-19 Business Recovery – www.atxrecovers.com COVID-19 Rent 2.0 Assistance – www.austintexas.gov/RENT

Cough Shortness of breath Chills

Repeated shaking with chills Muscle Pain Headache

Sore throat Loss of taste or smell Diarrhea

Feeling feverish – temperature of greater than 100.0 degrees Fahren-

heit

Known close contact with a person who is confirmed to have COVID-19

Difficulty breathing

About COVID Services

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in responding to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) that is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness worldwide.

Your doctor will help make the decision if you should get tested for COVID‐19. If you do not have health insurance, you can still get tested for COVID‐19 if your doctor or healthcare provider recommends it. For information about testing, you just need to call your doctor and/or access care the way you usually do. If you need help finding a doctor or accessing medical care, call 2‐1‐1 and they can direct you to low- or no-cost providers in your area. People can get tested for COVID‐19 at public testing sites and drive‐thru locations in certain parts of Texas.

Thingstoconsiderwhenlookingforpublicordrive‐thrutestingsite:Do I know the screening criteria for the public/drive-thru testing site? Do I know the operating hours for the public/drive-thru testing site?

Do I know if I need a referral from my doctor before I visit the pub lic/drive-thru testing site? Do I know if the public/drive-thru testing site is covered by my insurance provider and/or how the billing process works? Do I know what type of test is offered at the public/drive-thru test ing site? Do I know how to get my testing results? Call ahead or visit the testing site website for information, as screening criteria and operating hours may change. For Questions or Assistance Contact: Hours: 24/7

Email: coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov Phone:*Dial 2‐1‐1

Cough Shortness of breath Chills

Repeated shaking with chills Muscle Pain Headache

Sore throat Loss of taste or smell Diarrhea

Feeling feverish – temperature of greater than 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit

Known close contact with a person who is confirmed to have

COVID-19

Difficulty breathing

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention (CDC) in responding to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) that is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness worldwide. Flu & COVID-19 With both flu and COVID-19 circulating this season, getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever. Learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones on the CDC website: FAQs: Flu and COVID-19 Getting a Flu Vaccine during the COVID-19 Pandemic Similarities and Differences between Flu and COVID-19

Scams and Fraud Alert Criminals are impersonating Texas government agencies to scam people and organizations during the COVID-19 pan-demic. Currently, common scams include unsolicited purchase orders and requests, spoofed emails and phishing at-tempts, and government impersonation phone scams. Visit the Texas Comptroller Fraud Alerts website to know how to spot and report scams.

Q&A: Infectious disease specialist discusses why it's more important than ever to get the flu shot

by Lindsay Dowling-Savelle, Dalhousie University While the world awaits the development and approval of a vaccine that will help in the global fight against COVID‐19, medical experts are worried about how the impending flu season could exacerbate already strained health care systems around the world.  Public health officials and medical experts have stressed that it's more important than ever to get a flu shot, which is a vaccine specially de‐signed each year to combat influenza. We asked Dr. Lisa Barrett, assistant profes‐sor in Dalhousie's Faculty of Medicine and infectious disease expert, to explain how the flu shot works and why medical experts are more concerned about the impacts of this year's influenza season than in years past. What exactly are flu vaccines and how do they work? All vaccines are designed to educate your immune system to respond quickly if  it ever runs into an infection and the flu shot is no different. It is a way that we can educate our immune system against the ever‐changing influenza virus from season to season—everybody should get one each season.  The influenza (or flu) vaccine, is an  injection given  in  the arm, and  it  contains various different parts of  the  flu virus depending on which flu shot you get. The take‐home message  is  that every flu  shot  or  vaccine  contains  bits  and  pieces  of  flu  virus  from  various  different strains of virus. Each year, scientists get together and predict what the most fre‐quent  viruses  are  likely  to  be  in  the  upcoming  season.  They  combine  these  to‐gether into one vaccine, and that's how your immune system gets educated for the viruses that are likely to be circulating that season. You get one shot as soon as it comes out  in  the  fall  and  then  you develop  some protection or  immunity—your immune system is getting prepared to fight quickly against the flu virus strains that were in the vaccine.  Why are medical experts stressing that  it  is more  important to get the flu shot this year than in years past? It is always important to get a flu shot. But this year we also have COVID‐19, which is  another  respiratory  virus whose main  target  is  the  lungs.  Influenza  or  the  flu 

virus, also targets  the  lungs and  it  is  likely  that  if you get  the two together, your chances  of  having  permanent  damage  to  your  lungs  or  not  surviving  are  much much  higher.  Therefore,  because  we  have  no  vaccine  for  COVID‐19  and  we  do have one  to protect you  from  influenza,  it's very  important  that people do what they can to keep themselves from getting influenza. Tthere is going to be COVID‐19 around, and you don't want them both. You don't want the double whammy. It will not go well. If there are high  levels of COVID‐19 community spread in communities, what  is the safest way for people to get their flu shot?  It's  important  to  know  that  influenza  and  COVID‐19  spread  in  similar ways,  and therefore there can be community spread of  influenza each year as well. So,  the take home is that every skill we've learned about preventing spread of COVID‐19, is  also  incredibly  useful  for  preventing  the  spread  of  influenza. What  I mean  by that  is,  washing  your  hands,  making  sure  that  you  don't  touch  your  face,  and wearing  a mask when  it  is  not possible  to  keep  social  distance,  are  the  real  key ways that you can prevent COVID‐19 spread and safely go out to get your influenza shot.  Also, if you can have flexibility around when and where you go to get your shot, try to choose a time that is slightly less crowded, not middle of the day, off hours  or  evenings—that's  a  really  great  way  to  help  spread  out  the  number  of people that are at the influenza vaccine station or pharmacy at any point in time. Planning  outings,  socialization,  and  even  medical  care  to  promote  more  social distancing  is a key way we can get better at  learning how to  live with COVID‐19. So,  if  you  have  some  flexibility,  choose  off  times when  there won't  be  as many people and then we can help spread people out over time. What would you tell people who are hesitant to get their flu shot this year?  There are  lots of reasons why people don't want to get a flu shot or feel  it's not really  that useful  for  them  in particular.  I would say  that  there  is pretty close  to zero reasons why one of the flu vaccines approved in Canada and available in Nova Scotia, can't be taken by anyone. And you know what, even if you don't think it's incredibly useful to you, you are helping to protect your community by getting a flu vaccine.  Even  if  you  are  someone who  doesn't  get  too  sick  when  infected with respiratory  viruses  like  flu  or  COVID‐19,  you  may  have  few  symptoms  and  not know you are spreading to others who may not be so healthy. Getting a flu shot reduces the likelihood that you get infected and spread to others. So, a flu shot is an amazing and free way to contribute to your health and your community. Also, it's important to recognize that there are almost no people above the age of six months  in the world who can't safely take one of the flu shots that are avail‐able.  People who  feel  they  get  sick  after  a  flu  shot are  experiencing  an  immune ramp‐up; that's their  immune system responding to the vaccine and getting edu‐cated—it's not that you got the flu. You might not feel super great for a couple of days, but you're not getting the flu from these vaccines. Get the vaccine,  its safe and even if you don't think it's good for you in particular, it's good for your com‐munity (hey, I bet I already said that, but I want to say it again!!).  We are still waiting for the influenza vaccines to be available, and Nova Scotia has bought more than usual this year—that means we shouldn't run out. Some people say, I'm going to leave the shots for the people who really need them and that is actually NOT the way to think. As I said before, people who may not have symptoms and aren't the sickest are also the people who are out and about the most and they transmit to others without knowing it. So, there will be lots of flu vaccine around, don't wait—take the shot!

   

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How can I tell the difference  between the 

flu and  COVID‐19?  

 It's  impossible  to  tell  without  a test. Influenza and COVID‐19 have such  similar  symptoms,  you  may need to get tested to know what's making you miserable.  

Body  aches,  sore  throat,  fever, cough,  shortness  of  breath,  fa‐tigue  and  headaches  are  symp‐toms shared by the two.  

One  difference?  People  with  the flu typically feel sickest during the first week of illness.   

With  COVID‐19,  people  may  feel the  worst  during  the  second  or third  week,  and  they  may  be sicker for a longer period.  

Another  difference:  COVID‐19  is more likely than the flu to cause a loss  of  taste  or  smell.  But  not everyone  experiences  that  symp‐tom,  so  it's  not  a  reliable way  to tell the viruses apart.  

That  leaves  testing,  which  will become  more  important  as  flu season  ramps  up  this  fall  in  the Northern Hemisphere.   

Doctors  will  need  to  know  test results  to  determine  the  best treatment.  

It's  also  possible  to  be  infected with  both  viruses  at  the  same time,  said Dr. Daniel Solomon, an infectious diseases expert at Brig‐ham  and  Women's  Hospital  and Harvard Medical School in Boston.  

Whether you get tested for one or both viruses may depend on how available  tests  are  and  which viruses  are  circulating  where  you live, he said.  

"Right  now  we  are  not  seeing community  transmission  of  influ‐enza,  so  widespread  testing  for 

the  flu  is not yet  recommended," Solomon said.  

Both  the  flu  and  coronavirus spread through droplets from the nose and mouth. Both can spread before people know they are sick.   

The  flu  has  a  shorter  incubation period—meaning  after  infection it  can  take  one  to  four  days  to feel  sick—compared  to  the  coro‐navirus, which can take two to 14 days from infection to symptoms.  

On  average,  COVID‐19  is  more contagious  than  flu.  But  many people  with  COVID‐19  don't spread the virus to anyone, while a  few  people  spread  it  to  many others.  These  "superspreader events"  are  more  common  with COVID‐19 than flu.  

               Preventing  the  flu  starts  with  an annual  flu  shot  tailored  to  the strains  of  the  flu  virus  that  are circulating.   

Health  officials  would  like  to  see record numbers of people get  flu shots  this year so hospitals aren't overwhelmed with two epidemics at once.  

There's no vaccine yet for COVID‐19,  although  several  candidates are in the final testing stages.   

Precautions  against  COVID‐19—masks,  social  distancing, hand‐washing—also slow the spread  of  the  flu,  so  health officials  hope  continued  vigi‐lance  could  lessen  the  sever‐ity of this year's flu season.   

People Who Violate Austin Mask Rules Could Be Fined Up To $2,000.

Austin will now enforce laws that require people to wear facial coverings in public and penalize businesses for not following measures that aim to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Travis County released an accompanying order Thursday that requires facial coverings and bans gatherings of more than 10 people. People found to be in violation of the rule on gatherings could face a fine of up to $1,000; the penalty for not wearing a mask is up to $250.

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CDC redefines coronavirus 'close contact' to include multiple brief exposures to virus The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its definition of "close contact" to an individual infected with the coronavirus on Wednesday to include multiple, brief expo-sures adding up to over 15 minutes within 24 hours. The agency previously said close contact consisted of being within six feet of an infectious person for 15 minutes straight. The change may prompt health departments to do contact tracing in cases where an exposure might previously have been considered too brief, Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert, told the Associated Press.