University employees, and Michigan Medicine employees specifically, have significant need for childcare. Currently, there are limited options with sufficient flexibility to meet employee needs, and even fewer options in close proximity to the medical center campus. The demand for services at our existing, on-campus children’s centers far exceeds capacity.
To better meet the needs of our medical center employees, the university would like to enter into a contractual agreement with an experienced outside partner that will take the lead in designing, building and operating a childcare services center for Michigan Medicine employees on university property at Cornwell Place, to the east of Ingalls Street and in close proximity to the School of Nursing.
We intend to structure our contract to take advantage of our partner’s national childcare expertise. Specifically, we would enter into an agreement with the partner to design, build and operate the childcare facility, subject to university oversight described below. The university would retain ownership of the land and building and be responsible for financing the construction.
As part of the design-build contract, the partner would be required to comply with university building standards and design guidelines, and in the operating agreement we would establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for operational performance, to which the partner would be held accountable. We would also require final university approval of building design prior to construction. Facilities & Operations will manage clearing the site in advance of the construction, which includes the removal or demolition of two houses