Four hundred and eighty calendar days were allowed for performance of the excavation and foundation work. As McCloskey & Co. could not obtain possession of the site until the sewer construction contract was completed, their contract time commenced on December 15, 1958, making their contract due for completion April 8, 1960. However, due to change orders, which considerably increased the scope of the work, the contractor, by letter of January 26, 1961, has requested an extension of the amended time to May 1, 1961, for the completion of all work under this contract. The contractor's request for extension of time is being reviewed by this office. STRUCTURAL STEEL Although the contract for the furnishing and erecting of the structural steel for the Additional House Office Building was awarded to the Bethlehem Steel Co. in the amount of $6,907,500 on July 9, 1958, and this firm was authorized and directed to proceed with all offsite work, including the purchase of materials, on September 22, 1958, the supplementary notice to proceed with all onsite work was not issued until August 27, 1959. This notice authorized and directed the contractor to proceed on September 1, 1959, with the erection of structural steel, other onsite work and all other work to be performed not previously authorized to be commenced, and established the contract time of 270 calendar days as being completed on May 27, 1960. However, the Bethlehem Steel Co., along with other union steel manufacturers, was experiencing a work stoppage in its mills and shops at the time this supplementary notice to proceed became effective. This steel strike began on July 15, 1959, and was not over until November 7, 1959. Prior to this anticipated strike, Bethlehem had fabricated enough structural steel members to enable them to start erection on the west half of the building. Due to the delay of the general contractor for the foundation contract in not having the west half of the concrete foundations sufficiently cleaned to permit the inspection of surface and realineing misplaced anchor bolts to the correct location, the waterproofing subcontractor of Bethlehem Steel Co. could not start its work until September 23, 1959; and then, only a small area of the southwest quadrant was ready. A large number of reinforcing bar dowels in the west half of the foundations had been bent over or kicked by the foundation contractor and had to be straightened before Bethlehem Steel Co. could move its erection equipment on the site. The first structural steel column was erected in the southwest corner of the west half of the building on October 20, 1959. Steel erection in the west half continued on a reduced schedule with the approximate 6,500 tons that had been shipped to Washington for storage prior to the steel strike. In early November, with the settlement of the strike, erection increased with additional steel deliveries and erection equipment at the job site. Steel erection in the west half of the building was completed in the middle of May 1960. However, due to the excavation and foundation contract not being completed in the east half of the building, it became necessary to defer the erection of the structural steel work in that part of the site. The deferment of this work caused a suspension in the steel contractor's work. The work was subsequently resumed and is now 54 percent completed. SUPERSTRUCTURE The contract drawings and specifications for the superstructure for the Additional House Office Building were completed and made available to general contractors for bidding purposes on November 13, 1959, with bids scheduled to be opened on January 21, 1960. Due to the magnitude of this phase of the project, changes in the plans and specifications during the bidding period, required the issuance of seven addenda, which made necessary the postponement of the bid opening date to February 18, 1960. Bids were received from seven contractors, and on March 10, 1960, the contract was awarded to McCloskey & Co., in the amount of $50,793,000. On March 17, 1960, McCloskey & Co. was issued the first notice to proceed which authorized and directed the contractor to proceed with all offsite work as well as with the purchase of materials. The second notice to proceed was issued on August 5, 1960, which authorized and directed McCloskey & Co. to commence all work at the southwest and northwest quadrants of the site. The contract time of 1,100 calendar days was established from this date, making the date of completion August 10, 1963. The first construction work in the field under this contract on the building proper (other than temporary facilities) was started the latter part of May 1960, with the sandblasting of steel columns along the C line from the top of the foundations to the second garage level and the construction of exterior wall forms along this line, adjacent to C Street Southwest. Work on this contract has progressed slowly due to design changes and numerous problems encountered in the construction. The Contractor has had difficulty in pouring concrete slabs, beams, and columns due somewhat to his methods of concreting and lack of close supervision of the work. Extremely cold weather and continuous heavy snow from December 11, 1960, until early February of 1961, brought construction to a virtual standstill, causing this contract to fall farther behind schedule. Work is now progressing satisfactorily. Mr. STEWART. I hope that the quarters to be ready in 1962 would be of a service nature and that Members would move in at the time of the opening of the new transportation tunnel. REMODELING OF EXISTING HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGS Mr. STEED. What about the proposed remodeling of the two existing House Office Buildings? Mr. STEWART. As you know, the remodeling work has been ordered postponed by the House Office Building Commission until completion of the new building. We are getting to a point now that even with the George Washington Inn we are running out of space. The lease on the Congressional Hotel expires in 2 years. Within a year we have to notify them that we are either interested in staying an X number of additional years or that we will cancel the lease. There is a movement on foot now to try to get a floor of the Congressional Hotel to house the congressional pages. That matter has been discussed by Congressman Friedel and his committee. Mr. STEED. But it will be largely contingent on how soon a substantial number of Members can be in the new building? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. It has been proposed that at the beginning of the 88th Congress, the freshmen Members of the House be housed in the Congressional Hotel. We would require the cooperation of Members in the two buildings to move from their present suites to other suites so that we could have one side of the building available for remodeling at a time from top to bottom. We cannot work on one floor in a wing with Members occupying other floors in that wing because the construction noise would interfere with their occupancy. We must have an entire wing at a time to remodel. By doing that I am sure the remodeling could be done in 3 years. That is what I figured on, 3 years after we start. Mr. STEED. In other words, it would have to be done from garret to main floor on a side? Mr. STEWART. That is the only way it could be done without annoying the Members, because you can be on the fifth floor and I can be doing construction work in the basement and the vibration would disturb you seriously. This is the most economical way to do it, to take one side and install plumbing and duets in one whole side. Mr. STEED. How long would it take you if you had one whole side available to get it completed so the Members could move back in? Mr. STEWART. I would say if we got one side done a year that would be good progress. We hope to get four sides done in 3 years, but one side a year would be good progress. Mr. STEED. We will go to the Capitol Power Plant, page 133 of the justifications and page 74 of the bill. Insert pages 133 and 134 of the justifications in the record. (The pages referred to follow:) 1961 appropriation in annual act-- $2, 028, 700 ADDITIONS Personnel compensation: Wage-rate increases authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Cong---Under the provisions of Public Law 763, 83d Cong., 78 laborers and mechanics on the Capitol Power Plant roll are compensated on a wage-board, prevailing-rate basis. Public Law 763 provides that the compensation of such employees shall be fixed and adjusted from time to time as nearly as is consistent with the public interest in accordance with prevailing rates. $11, 325 An increase of $7,900 is requested for 1962 to meet on a full-year basis the cost of increased wage rates established for these wage-board positions as a result of a general survey of Government and industrial employees' wages in the Washington metropolitan area, conducted during the past year. The new rates went into effect Dec. 25, 1960, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Cong. This increase is necessary in order that the Capitol Power Plant wage-board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1962 in accordance with present prevailing rates. The gross cost is $15,600. Of this cost, $7,700 is being absorbed through savings. An increase of $3,425 is requested for 1962 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions and other changes falling due in that year, authorized by Public Law 762 under the wageboard system, for employees compensated under that act, Within-grade promotions authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for employees compensated under that act Personnel benefits: This additional cost results from increases in basic wage Other services: Alterations to existing circuit breakers, nonrecurring item__-An allotment of $10,000 is requested for 1962 for alterations to 25 existing circuit breakers at the Capitol Power Plant, in order to improve their dielectric strength and reliability. Under the allotment of $10,000, it is proposed to purchase and install 25 modernization kits which will insure continuity of service and preclude circuit breaker failures such as occurred at the plant last summer. Tests conducted last August by the manufacturer of this equipment indicated that high moisture could have contaminated the surfaces and caused poor dielectric, resulting in circuit failure at that time. As a result of the test program, it was found desirable that certain improvements be incorporated in the design. The most important of these is better isolation of the arc products in the upper and lower arc chutes and the addition of magnetic barriers between adjacent phases. Repeated testing, although proving the dielectric integrity of the breaker, illustrated the desirability of preventing ionized gases from leaking from joints of the fabricated upper and lower arc chutes in the area of the grounded metal frame of the breaker structure. As a result of the tests and studies made, it is recommended that the existing circuit breakers be altered by the installation of modernization kits which will (1) improve sealing of the upper and lower arc chutes and add insulation in the expansion chamber of the switchgear structure; (2) effect more complete isolation of the contact supports from the lower breaker frame and minor changes in design of the arcing contacts and arc runners; (3) provide the addition of interphase barriers with magnetic shields. 375 1,600 10,000 Other services-Continued Alterations to existing circuit breakers-Continued These breakers constitute a vital part of the Capitol Power Plant and control the operation of the electrical plant. It is urged that the improvements recommended by the manufacturer of the equipment be installed in order to safeguard against future failures and insure continuity of service. Total estimate for 1962. Mr. STEED. Will you explain these items? INCREASES REQUESTED Mr. STEWART. This is an increase of $23,300. +$23, 300 2,052,000 The first item is "Wage-rate increases, Public Law 763, 83d Congress," $11,325 : Within-grade promotions authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended for employees compensated under that act, $375. Contribution to the retirement fund, increased from $30,800 to $32,400, an increase of $1,600. Alterations to existing circuit breakers, $10,000. This is a nonrecurring item. At this time I would like Mr. Rubel to answer any questions you may have about the Capitol Power Plant. STATUS OF CONVERSION TO A.C. CURRENT Mr. STEED. How much of the conversion from d.c. to a.c. has been accomplished? Mr. RUBEL. Everything except the Capitol Building itself, and that is in process now. It will be finished in the next 2 years. Mr. STEED. You already have the funds to finance that work? STATUS OF PLANT IMPROVEMENTS Mr. STEED. What is the situation with your plant extension there? How far along are you there? Mr. RUBEL. All the old boilers have been removed, the old generating equipment which was abandoned in 1950 has been removed; some of the switchgear and two additional refrigeration machines have been installed and two more are to be installed. There is another contract to be let that is tied in with the completion of the additional House Office Building. Mr. STEED. Was it last year you held up on some of the money because of the progress of the work? Mr. STEWART. We got all the funds we needed. Mr. STEED. That is all financed? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. Mr. STEED. Any questions on that? Mr. STEWART. If I may speak off the record, I would like to call attention to something. |