Three general contractors with Inland Northwest ties are among five contractors that have qualified to bid on projects at Fairchild Air Force Base totaling up to $95 million in value during the next five years.

Fairchild on July 18 selected TSS-Garco, a joint venture between Garco Construction Inc., of Spokane, and Total Site Services, of Richland, Wash., as the fifth and final contractor qualified to compete for certain jobs under what it calls a multiple award construction contract (MACC), says Richard Hedrick, a contracting officer at the base.

A few days earlier, Fairchild selected Northcon Inc., of Hayden, Idaho, and M.J. Takisaki Inc., a Seattle-based concern that operates an office in Spokane Valley, as qualified for MACC projects, Hedrick says.

Out-of-area contractors that have qualified for MACC projects here are Ahtna Engineering Services LLC, of Anchorage, Alaska; and E-Corp., of Layton, Utah.

Prequalifying contractors to bid on future projects will save time in getting projects under way once they're identified and funded, Hedrick says.

"Full and open bidding takes 90 to 120 days, while the MACC process can shorten the contract award to one month," he says.

Fairchild's earlier notice calling for MACC qualifications said projects could include buildings of up to $33.5 million in value and other work valued at $600,000 to $10 million per job.

The call for qualifications requires the contractors to show they can complete jobs involving carpentry, asbestos abatement, demolition, plumbing, concrete masonry, welding, paving, and mechanical systems. Work will be conducted on base and at sites within 80 miles of the base, the notice said.