Commodore Builders begins construction of Bluefin Robotics' 54,000 s/f facility; project team includes: Jacob's Engineering; Quincy Shipyard, LLC, and Jay Cashman, Inc.

Bluefin Robotics, a world leader in the design and manufacture of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), has officially begun work on building a 54,000 s/f facility in the Quincy Shipyard. The company plans to relocate there in the fall. To support the renovation, 28 subcontracts were awarded to various trades to refurbish the aging building for AUV development, production and testing. All subcontracts were a result of a competitive bid process held by the company's construction manager, Commodore Builders. Additional meetings were held between Bluefin's senior management and representatives from the electrical, plumbing and pipefitters unions to address specific concerns regarding the bidding process and solicitations. Overall, bidders were evaluated on quality of work, price, and schedule. Twenty-four of the subcontractors are union shops and these subcontracts represent 74 % of the total subcontracted value. "I am pleased that many of the jobs were awarded to companies employing union workers. It was clear that all the contracted companies were eager to provide quality services at an excellent value," said David Kelly, president and CEO of Bluefin Robotics. Bluefin's move to Quincy doubles the high-tech company's space, and for the first time, merges operations under one roof. The new location provides the Cambridge-based firm with direct access to the ocean for marine operations, which is currently conducted in East Boston. The move will co-locate engineering, production and marine operations functions, streamlining testing and demonstration phases of the business. Commodore Builders is a signatory to the Carpenters Union. Jacob's Engineering Group is supplying architecture and engineering services. The landlord is Quincy Shipyard, LLC, an affiliate of Jay Cashman, Inc. Founded in 1997, Bluefin Robotics has grown to become a world leader in AUV products designed for military, commercial, and academic research applications. Bluefin Robotics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Battelle. Commodore Builders provides clients with a wide range of construction services, from project conception to pre-construction, execution, close-out and warranty service. The firm has been named by the Boston Globe as one of the Top 100 Places to Work in Massachusetts, as a BBJ Pacesetter and has appeared on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing privately held businesses. Jacob's Engineering Group is one of the world's largest and most diverse providers of technical, professional, and construction services. Their architectural and engineering team is dedicated to serving clients who demand close attention and practical solutions to the design of complex buildings and systems. Their clients call on them when they are struggling with: the coordination of building technology; concerns meeting the demands of changing technologies; issues with operational downtime; and pressure to have projects completed on schedule and within budget. For the Bluefin Robotics project, their Boston team provided all architecture, interior design, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering design services, from site selection through construction administration.