VAA was retained by West Central Cooperative to conduct a study and report for its existing grain truck receiving and train loading facility with access to the Union Pacific Railroad mainline in Central Iowa. The main mission of the Long Range Master Plan was to consider installations in the near term (0 to 2.0 years) and in the longer term (2.0 and 5.0 years), to increase receiving (customer service), grain storage and shipping of corn and soybeans.
Upon completion of the report we prepared contract bid documents in order to solicit competitive design build construction proposals. Throughout design and construction VAA acted as an owner’s representative including overseeing design submittals to verify that the original intent was maintained.
The new facility provided an additional 1.7 million bushels of grain storage in a very small footprint. Tight site constraints made for difficulties in locating the two new 20,000 BPH capacity truck pits tied into the existing dump pits. Four 64’ diameter slipform concrete silos are so large that an interstice bin 32’ diameter was constructed in between. Soil conditions required extensive auger piling systems to be designed and installed in order to support the new grain storage structure.
VAA proactively worked with the FAA to meet height restrictions for nearby runways. Ensured provisions were made in the design and permits for scalping, screening, and drying equipment to be installed in the future.
To be ready for harvest VAA prepared a performance criteria design build bid package versus having the design complete up front. This enabled the Owner to bid the work, award the contract and then commence with final design on a design build construction basis expediting the project.
