On Jan. 13, a panel of judges selected the four Mechanical Contractors Association of America student chapter teams that will make oral presentations of their bid proposals at MCAA’s 2009–2010 Student Chapter Competition, March 29, during the MCAA convention in San Francisco. The teams are from the University of Washington, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin – Stout and Oregon State University.

The judges selected the finalists after reading, discussing and scoring proposals submitted by 25 MCAA student chapters and a chapter sponsored by the MCA of Hamilton in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. First-round judges were: Kathleen McCauley of McCauley Mechanical Construction, Inc. (Bridgeview, Ill); Roeland F. Hoeke of H.T. Lyons Inc. (Allentown, Pa.); John A. Powell of Marelich Mechanical Co. Inc. (Hayward, Calif.); and James Jarvis of J.F. Ahern Co. (Fond du Lac, Wis.). Judges evaluated and scored each written proposal’s overall quality (25 percent), project management and organization (25 percent), feasibility of construction and program schedules (25 percent) and accuracy/feasibility of conceptual costs (25 percent).

A different panel of judges will evaluate the oral presentations according to the following criteria: overall quality of the oral presentation (30 percent); feasibility of project management, organization and schedule (30 percent); accuracy and completeness of project costs (30 percent); and answers to the judges’ questions (10 percent). Each finalist team will have 20 minutes to convince the judges that they are best qualified to perform the proposed work on the project — 15 minutes for a formal oral presentation and five minutes of answering the judges’ questions.

Each team’s standing will be determined on a combination of their oral and written scores. This year’s competition is based on an actual project performed by Braconier Plumbing & Heating Co. in Englewood, Colo. — the five-phased renovation of a 42,000-square-foot cafeteria serving the Denver Health Medical Center in Denver.

As in past years, the prizes will be as follows: $5,000 to the first-place team; $2,500 to the second-place team; and $1,000 to each of the other finalists. All finalists also will receive a handsome trophy commemorating their achievement.

In addition to the four finalists, teams that submitted proposals were from: California State Polytechnic University at Pomona; California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo; California State University, Sacramento; Central Washington University; Fairleigh Dickinson University; Illinois State University; Iowa State University; Kent State University; McMaster University; Milwaukee School of Engineering; Northeastern University; Northern Kentucky University; Pennsylvania State University; Pittsburg State University; Purdue University; Southern Polytechnic State University; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Nebraska – Lincoln; University of Nebraska – Omaha; Washington State University; Weber State University; and the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

For more information about this year’s competition, contact Ann Mattheis at amattheis@mcaa.org.