Obama Foundation sets hiring standards for future presidential center

Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-01 03:29:33|Editor: yan
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CHICAGO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Obama Foundation has selected four finalists to build the presidential center and sets standards for local and minority hiring, Chicago Tribune reported Thursday.

In its proposal request, the Obama Foundation asked its construction manager candidates to meet a commitment to awarding half or more of their subcontracts to "diversified suppliers," which expands the normal definition of firms from women and minority-owned firms to also include veteran-, disabled- or LGBTQ-owned firms.

As the definition of inclusive hiring is broadened, the foundation is specifying that 35 percent of contracts need to go to minority-owned firms.

"The Obamas chose to develop the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side to give back to the community that has given so much to them," said David Simas, CEO of the foundation in a statement. "The foundation has established significant and aggressive goals for diversity and inclusion."

The foundation didn't reveal how much the contract is worth. But a preliminary bidding document for the construction manager's contract said the construction cost of the Obama center was between 300 million and 350 million U.S. dollars.

The Obama Center includes three buildings, a museum, a forum and the presidential library itself, along with a sprawling public plaza.

According to Obama Foundation, the three buildings could encompass 200,000 to 225,000 square feet (18,500 to 23,200 square meters). That would be roughly the same size, or slightly larger, than the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. If all goes according to plan, the center would open in 2021.

On May of 2015, the Obama Foundation announced the presidential center will be built on Chicago's South Side area. Earlier this year, Obama and his wife Michelle Obama unveiled a 3-D model of the center in Chicago.

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