BJC HealthCare is committed to leading an efficient and effective planning, design, and construction process while being an industry leader in delivering best value facilities. BJC HealthCare's Planning, Design & Construction Department oversees a Toolbox Management Program to select companies who have demonstrated leadership and systems resulting in excellence and quality performance. 

The purpose of the Toolbox Management Program is to assist BJC HealthCare in identifying planning, design, and construction professionals qualified to provide services. Additionally, the process establishes a methodology to determine proposal opportunities, measure performance, delineate expectations, and identify additional prospects for service providers who consistently provide superior service to BJC HealthCare. 

The Toolbox is used to categorize qualified service providers and is the basis for identifying request for proposal (RFP) opportunities. Several factors are considered in the development of RFP lists including: 

• Previous experience 
• Project size and complexity  
• Specific vendor facility experience 
• Past performance 

The intent is to match service providers to projects best suited to their talents and expertise. 

At this time, the Toolbox program is open to full-service construction management, architectural, and engineering service providers, as well as the following trade contractors: electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and flooring. Inquiries can be directed to: [email protected] 

BJC HealthCare is committed to the growth and equitable opportunity of all our community partners in the St. Louis design and construction industry. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve, and what you do collectively supports that mission. We will continue to provide support to firms interested in growing into the health care market.  

In 2025, we broadened our definitions around inclusion and updated our internal policies. Project goals now focus on the development and growth of small businesses. Program requirements are delineated by: construction managers and architecture and engineering firms.  

Construction managers 

Effective Jan. 1, 2026, BJC HealthCare will promote the use of small business enterprise (SBE) vendor participation, defined by an average annual gross revenue of less than $15 million during the past three fiscal years. Partnering and mentoring opportunities also are expected.  

Construction managers will need to describe their strategy to create a comprehensive program with performance milestones that demonstrate commitment to growth of SBE firms for the term of the contract. A per project goal of 30% or more is expected and will be evaluated at substantial completion along with construction manager report card evaluation. 

Updated reporting forms for construction firms will track usage of these businesses as well as apprentices with forms 1 and 2A.  

Updated forms are: 

• Form 1: Good Faith Effort Verification  
• Form 2:  Small Business Contract Participation 
• Form 2A:  SBE Intent to Perform as a Subcontractor and/or Material Supplier 
• Form 3:  Construction Manager Apprentice Participation (required with every pay application and evaluated at contract closeout. 

Additionally, apprentice participation goals are one apprentice per $2.5 million of work in place with a cumulative average of 40 hours per week throughout the duration of construction. Questions can be directed to Vince Nutt, BJC Health director of program management, at [email protected].   

Architecture and engineering firms 

Following our May 2025 announcement, Donna Ware, BJC Health executive director of planning and design, sent information regarding the Economic Development Program for architecture and engineering firms, which was effective in May. This program focuses on growth and development of the professional design community including increasing the workforce going into the architecture and engineering fields.  

Questions can be directed to Mary Aubuchon, operations lead, BJC HealthCare Planning, Design, and Construction, at [email protected].  

Below you can find the documents distributed in May 2025, for your reference:  

• BJC HealthCare Small Business Policy Statement: Policy statement around small business and workforce development and engagement.  
• BJC Vendor Toolbox and Capacity Building Warehouse Program:  Requirements for admission to the CBW focuses on firm size to broaden the access to the advantages of the program.   

The BJC HealthCare Capacity-Building Warehouse (CBW) was created to identify and qualify small businesses in the design and construction industry that demonstrate experience and capacity to work with BJC in the health care market. 

The eventual goal, through projects and partnerships with BJC Toolbox vendors, is for the those in the Capacity Building Warehouse to gain additional exposure in the industry and develop mentor-protégé relationships.  

Contact information 

All inquiries can be sent via email to [email protected]. BJC will respond with a short consultant-contractor quick fact sheet, which should be completed and returned to the email on the form. The completed quick fact sheets will be reviewed for potential inclusion in the CBW. 

Dates for 2026 sessions of BJC 201 are as follows and will be held at the BJC Learning Institute lower level auditorium. More information on additional topics will be shared soon. 

March 12, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

June 4, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Dec. 10, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

What is BJC 201?

BJC Planning, Design & Construction launched an educational program, BJC 101 (now BJC 201), in September 2013. This program was established to connect professional service and construction firms to the highly-regulated health care space. These quarterly sessions are intended to create learning experiences in key areas of business including operations, project management, estimating, marketing, business development, and financial controls. 

This program offers firms an opportunity to develop and broaden their industry skills and knowledge, while also gaining first-hand insight on working with BJC HealthCare. The program can help to enhance subcontractor competitiveness through increased knowledge and understanding of principles that are essential to owning and growing a successful business within the construction industry. Participants are offered an educational platform that supports the development of business acumen, while also familiarizing them with BJC's processes and industry best practices. 

Topics include: 

• Technology development and system integration 
• Moving financial controls to the next level 
• Back office operations 
• Rebranding and remodeling business programs for growth 
• Increasing project management skills to achieve the desired project results 
• Contracts and other relevant subjects 

The program continues to focus on business development objectives, hosting internal and external industry professionals who bring value to the capacity-building process for small businesses.  

Effective January 2026  

Since 2024, OWH, BR+A, and TKH have partnered with BJC HealthCare’s Planning, Design and Construction (PD&C) team to update and refine the BJC Manual of Practice. In 2025, input from several of our industry partners provided additional valuable perspectives to further strengthen these revisions. 

An invitation to access the Manual of Practice is required, and an invitation email was sent to all Toolbox primary and secondary points of contact. This access will enable you to view and download the BJC Manual of Practice, the safety manual, forms and templates, and other key documents relevant to work on BJC projects.  

The specification sections posted do not yet represent the complete set; this is an ongoing effort. We will add sections as they are finalized. We anticipate uploading narrative guidelines as well 25 additional architectural guidelines by the end of the first quarter of 2026. 

Future revisions will be documented in the Specifications table of contents. As room standards are completed, they will also be added. It is each firm's responsibility to verify that the most current versions are being referenced. Please direct questions related to the BJC Manual of Practice, or the site’s other documents, to PD&C executive director of planning and design, Donna Ware at [email protected]. 

Please note that access to the Manual of Practice and other relevant documents will require users to register with Microsoft Authenticator (application available to download from smartphone app store). If you experience any difficulty accessing the Manual of Practice or other applicable documents located on the site, please contact Mary Aubuchon at [email protected]. 

BJC Planning, Design and Construction takes safety in our hospitals and on our construction sites seriously. The safety and comfort of our patients and their families, as well as staff and contractors, are paramount. Rigorous protocols to manage the environment during demolition, renovation, or new construction reduces the potential risk to those in our buildings and to the construction workers themselves. 

Each of BJC HealthCare’s projects, from renovating an inpatient unit, to demolishing an entire building and building a new hospital or expansion, has site-specific safety and emergency preparedness plans. 

As such, BJC Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) requirements may be stricter than government regulations for protection of staff and patients.  

Our safety manual specifies contractor requirements, and it’s the responsibility of contractors to ensure that their employees understand these requirements and shall have a mechanism for tracking adherence. 

In January 2026, Planning, Design and Construction sent an invitation to the primary and secondary contacts of all Toolbox members to access to the new Manual of Practice. Access to the safety manual is included in this access.  

Contact [email protected] if you need assistance.