During the last week in June, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded nearly $155 million in Joplin-area contracts for debris removal, temporary housing projects and school relocation efforts.
For debris removal efforts, the Corps has awarded $140 million to area contractors, including:
- $40 million to R&R Trucking Inc., Duenweg;
- $40 million to Larry Snyder and Co., Ozark;
- $40 million to Intelligent Investments Inc., Neosho; and
- $20 million to Jeff Asbell Excavating and Trucking Inc., Carl Junction.
Dusty Emmert, vice president of Larry Snyder Co., said the $40 million base contract, which has two $20 million extension options, began June 24 and runs through Nov. 1. It pays based on the tons of debris the company is able to deliver to the landfill, which means the company could earn considerably less than $40 million. In fact, he’s expecting around $15 million in revenues from the project. Still, that represents roughly 20 percent of the revenue that the company had anticipated in 2011.
Emmert said Larry Snyder Co. has worked on eight to 10 government contracts, with several of those being administered through the Army Corps of Engineers and that experience was key to landing the contract.
“Basically, we fulfilled the requirements for what they solicited in the bid proposal from previous work experience," he said. "Since we were qualified in that matter, that’s how we were able to submit a proposal on that project.”
Emmert said the company now has between 8-10 crews with a minimum of 10 people apiece working on Joplin debris removal seven days a week from sun-up to sundown.
Corps efforts have been focused on debris removal, but it also has been concentrating on making temporary housing available for displaced residents. The Corps awarded two contracts, totaling about $5 million, to two out-of-state contractors.
The Corps also has been assisting with Joplin R-VIII School District efforts to find and secure temporary facilities for the more than 3,000 students who were displaced by the May 22 tornado. The Corps has awarded nearly $7 million in contracts for those efforts, including a $1.9 million contract to Neosho-based Intelligent Investments.[[In-content Ad]]
