KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Aug. 16, 2017) — The Burns & McDonnell KCI HOMETOWN Team provided details related to its proposed Community Benefit Agreement associated with designing, building and privately-financing the New KCI single-terminal airport. Burns & McDonnell’s complete proposal package was released to the public Monday following its interview with the Airport Selection Committee.

“We started this effort as a collection of hometown teams trying to do the right thing for Kansas City,” said Ray Kowalik, chairman and CEO, Burns & McDonnell. “Today, our team is growing and defining how a New KCI can change a community forever.” 

The KCI HOMETOWN Team’s Community Benefit Agreement includes a funding amount totaling more than $15 million. The money will focus on growing local minority and women-owned businesses, and expanding its local workforce through collaborative community partnerships and innovative programs. Highlights of the program include: 

MBE/WBE Components

• As previously announced, establishing a minority and woman-owned business goal of 30-40 percent for the project estimated to generate thousands of jobs for local Kansas City companies.
• Financial support for developing firms through “reduced bond” or “no bond” bidding requirements and a new KCI Quick Pay expedited pay application processing. 

Diverse & Local Workforce Components

• In addition to establishing minority and woman-business goals, establishing a combined minority, woman, and local workforce goal of 30% for the project to ensure that local Kansas City workers participate and benefit from the project.
• Independent workforce monitoring to ensure diverse and local workforce compliance. 
• A partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, Urban League of Greater Kansas City, Full Employment Council, and community organizations such as AdHoc Group Against Crime to develop a Workforce Expansion Program targeted towards displaced workers throughout Kansas City. 
• A partnership with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to develop a Ride KC Airport Express Shuttle that will provide free transportation to the airport for construction workers and substantially reduce the amount of time and money workers spend traveling to the airport.

Local Education Components

• Re-establishment of the award-winning Career Exploration Program developed with the City of Kansas City and McCownGordon. First developed as part of the multi-million dollar Bartle Hall Expansion, this program will focus on introducing middle school students to potential careers in construction, aviation, and STEM related fields.
• As announced on August 8, 2017, a partnership with the Builders’ Association, Building and Construction Trades and Manual Career and Technical Center to establish the Enhanced Construction Technology Program to develop a pipeline of graduating high school seniors to gain union apprenticeships in commercial construction. 
• Also, as previously announced, the KCI HOMETOWN Team is committed to hiring the first 10 graduating seniors from the program in May 2018 and put them to work on the New KCI Project. In total, more than 40 students are expected to graduate from the program and begin union apprenticeships working on the New KCI Project.
• Because of our dedication to STEM education, our KCI HOMETOWN Team also committed to providing those graduating seniors with scholarships, so that they can complete an Associate’s Degree at one of the Metropolitan Community Colleges and better prepare themselves for a successful career in construction.
• Committing to future years of Tuck KC, a partnership with Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and Burns & McDonnell, focused on creating a platform for businesses to grow. So far, more than 30 Kansas City minority and woman-owned business CEO’s have graduated from the program. Through the course of the New KCI Project, the program is expected to generate more than 15,000 hours of instruction to local minority business leaders. 

“We are helping to improve the quality of life for people, which is a big part of our ministry,” said Reverend Modest Miles. “Jesus was not just about going to church. The church is where we are at work to further develop the community.”

Burns & McDonnell is also pleased to introduce one of our KCI HOMETOWN Team. Billy Gilreath, owner of MS Consulting, a local minority-owned business focused on concrete construction and glazing. 

“MS Consulting is a great example of the kind of local business that has the opportunity to substantially grow through construction of a New KCI,” said Ron Coker, senior vice president, Burns & McDonnell. “Not only will this project provide opportunities through bidding and construction, though programs like Tuck KC, we will take the opportunity to help Billy strengthen his business and better prepare him to not just grow, but thrive in a manner that allows him to sustain that growth.” 

To review the complete proposal package, go to: www.kcilovethisplace.com/. 

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a Kansas City-based firm that’s been committed to the people and growth of our hometown since we were founded in 1898. The 3,000 employee-owners based in Kansas City actively volunteer within the community and have donated millions of dollars to causes that support our great city from United Way to Science City. We are made up of more than 5,700 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices across the country and throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent employee-owned and is proud to be No. 16 on Fortune’s 2017 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.