San Diego $3.5 Billion Measure HH College Construction: $1.3B+ in Projects Launch August 24, 2026 - Complete Contractor Bidding Guide

Measure HH Overview: $3.5 Billion Voter Mandate Approved November 2024

Measure HH, approved by more than 60 percent of San Diego voters in November 2024, provides $3.5 billion to modernize SDCCD campuses, improve workforce training facilities, replace aging infrastructure, and expand access to innovative learning environments. This represents one of the largest education bond programs in California history.

Bond spending is overseen by an independent Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee with mandatory annual audits, and critically for taxpayers, no funds can be spent on administrator salaries or employee pensions. In January 2025, the district issued its first $850 million in bonds, providing immediate capital for project launches.

The overall bond allocation breaks down into three strategic categories:

• $1.2 billion towards renovations at Mesa College and Miramar College
• $1.2 billion towards modernization at City College and San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE)
• $1.1 billion towards renewing 3 million square feet of facilities throughout the district

All improvements are projected to be completed within 10 to 15 years, with 60 percent of the budget spent by 2030, creating a sustained pipeline of work for qualified contractors.

Major Projects Launching August 24, 2026: Complete Details

During the 2026-27 academic year, the district anticipates completion of the first Measure HH project — a $65 million renovation of the historic 275-seat theatre at the Educational Cultural Complex — while more than a dozen other construction projects will commence.

Educational Cultural Complex Theatre Renovation - $65 Million

The historic Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) Theatre Renovation Project has already reached 50 percent completion, marking the first construction project launched under Measure HH. Funded through a $35 million state grant championed by California Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins and supplemented by Measure HH funding, the project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

The $65 million renovation restores and modernizes the landmark 275-seat theatre in the Mountain View neighborhood of southeast San Diego while preserving its legacy as one of the region's most important centers for arts, culture, education, and community engagement. Extensive upgrades include acoustics, lighting, sound systems, accessibility features, seating, lobby and gathering spaces, and stage infrastructure.

City College Student Housing - 797-Bed Community

The San Diego City College Affordable Student Housing project is a Public-Private Partnership (P3) between SDCCD and The Michaels Organization, constructing a new 283-unit (797-bed) residential complex. This eight-story, all-electric mid-rise will include studio, two-bedroom, four-bedroom apartments, and four-bedroom suite-style units.

Construction began August 24, 2026, with the housing community scheduled to open in fall 2028. Located at 1601 B Street in downtown San Diego, approximately 8 miles from Pacific Beach and 12 miles from La Jolla, construction is led by the Clark Building Group. Ground-level amenities feature a leasing lobby, conference room, yoga/fitness room, food pantry, pet wash station, resident and bike storage (including e-bikes), community kitchen, vending lounge, and shared laundry facilities.

Miramar College Aviation Instructional Center - 18,000 Square Feet

Shovels are expected to hit the ground in spring 2027 on a modernized Montgomery Field Aviation Instructional Center, replacing an existing 6,300 square-foot hangar with a new approximately 18,000 square-foot facility supporting drone pilots, airport operations staff, and aircraft mechanics.

The project proposes demolition of the existing Miramar Hangar and construction of the new two-story Aviation Instructional Center (AIC), expanding the existing 0.42-acre lease area to 1.06 acres. Level 1 will include a lobby, maintenance/hangar bay, two classrooms, offices, custodial room, hazardous materials storage, restrooms, and utility and storage rooms. Level 2 will include one classroom, four pilot debrief rooms, air traffic control tower and en route training facilities, a conference room, break room, and restrooms.

Mesa College Athletic Facilities Overhaul - 70,000 Square Foot Complex

Mesa College is undergoing a dramatic overhaul of its athletic facilities with a new Aquatics Center to replace its 50-year-old pool. The expanded Aquatics Center will support lifeguard and water safety training, with the project also including a new Throw Park/practice field, improved pedestrian connections across campus, new site utilities, landscaping, and accessible paths.

Measure HH provides $1.2 billion for Mesa's renovations, including a 70,000 square-foot Sports and Kinesiology complex with gym, aquatics, and dance facilities. The construction timeline is Fall 2027 - Spring 2030 with a Design-Build Team of Roesling Nakamura Terada (RNT) Architects partnered with Sundt Construction.

Complete First-Wave Project List: Eight Design-Build Contracts Worth $1.3+ Billion

The San Diego Community College District approved eight design-build entities comprising 16 firms to begin planning for the first phase of Measure HH funded projects. These projects represent more than $1.3 billion in combined design and construction activity:

Campus	Project Name	Approx. Size	Design-Build Team
San Diego City College	"A" Building Expansion	TBD	Gensler + Rudolph & Sletten, Inc.
San Diego City College	Saville Theatre Replacement	~20,000 sq ft	Roesling Nakamura Terada (RNT) Architects + Sundt Construction
San Diego Mesa College	Performing Arts Center/Administration & Parking Structure	~54,000 sq ft	HGA Architects + PCL Construction Services
San Diego Mesa College	Sports & Kinesiology Sciences	~70,000 sq ft	LPA Design Studios + C.W. Driver LLC
San Diego Miramar College	Performing Arts Center & English/Gallery Building	~64,000 sq ft	Miller Hull + BNBuilders
San Diego Miramar College	Montgomery Field Aviation Instructional Center	~18,000 sq ft	Cass Sowatsky Consulting Architects + Harper Construction Company
San Diego Miramar College	Early Education Center	~8,000 sq ft	Architects Mosher Drew + Flint Design Build LLC
San Diego College of Continuing Education	West City Expansion	~10,800 sq ft	HGW Architecture + DPR Construction

Additionally, a ninth major project — the new Mid-City Campus for the San Diego College of Continuing Education — was approved in May 2026 with a design-build team of Hensel Phelps and Carrier Johnson + Culture. This project is estimated at approximately $100 million, including land acquisition, planning, design, construction, and furnishing the facility at 5322 El Cajon Blvd in San Diego's Mid-City neighborhood, easily accessible from Pacific Beach and La Jolla via I-8 and I-5.

How to Bid on Measure HH Projects: Step-by-Step Registration Guide

For contractors looking to participate in this historic construction program, the pathway to bidding is clearly defined through SDCCD's established procurement processes.

Step 1: Register on PlanetBids Procurement Portal

All of SDCCD's publicly bid opportunities are released via PlanetBids. Contractors can register their company with PlanetBids at https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/57760/portal-home. The 2025-2026 Applications are valid through December 31, 2026.

Your Vendor Profile will need regular updates to reflect renewals of business certifications, licenses, or any changes within your company. Failure to keep your registration current may result in the application being denied or deemed insufficient.

Step 2: Obtain DIR Public Works Registration

Any contractor or subcontractor who bids on or performs work on public works projects in California must complete DIR (Department of Industrial Relations) registration. Registration must be renewed annually and applies to both prime contractors and subcontractors.

If you work exclusively on projects valued at $25,000 or less, you're generally exempt. The registration costs $400 per year, can be completed online at https://services.dir.ca.gov/pw, and takes as little as 24 hours to process with a credit card payment. The current Public Works Contractor Registration year covers July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

Step 3: Complete SDCCD Prequalification (For Contracts $1M+)

SDCCD prequalification for contracts valued at $1,000,000 and up requires prospective bidders to submit standardized questionnaires, financial statements, and other information to demonstrate qualifications for public works construction. Contractors must have bonding capacity appropriate for their project sizes.

Prequalifications received and approved between January 2025-current are effective through December 31, 2026, unless otherwise noted. For projects under $220,000, contractors must complete an Annual Informal Bidding Contractors List Application in PlanetBids.

Step 4: Monitor RFP Releases and Attend Pre-Bid Meetings

With construction commencing August 24, 2026, RFP releases for subcontractor packages are imminent. Pre-bid meetings provide critical project-specific information, site access, and direct communication with design-build teams and SDCCD representatives.

Prevailing Wage Requirements: California Labor Code Compliance

All Measure HH projects are subject to California prevailing wage requirements under the California Labor Code. The project must be funded in whole or in part by public funds, and if there are any public funds in a public works project, the entire project is subject to prevailing wage requirements.

The university must report prevailing wage projects with the State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and obtain a project number before commencing work for Construction, Alteration, Demolition, Installation and/or Repairs at $25,000 or more.

2026 Changes Under AB 889

As of January 1, 2026, AB 889 significantly revised California's prevailing wage law, impacting public works employers including public agencies and the contractors that work for them. Key changes include:

• The amended law reframes the calculation of fringe benefits and mandates annualization of such benefits
• Requires employers to maintain inspection-ready records of compliance
• AB 889 mandated that all employer-paid fringe benefits credited toward the prevailing wage be computed on an annualized basis, using any consistent 12-month period
• Accounts for employee's public and private hours worked for the same employer

All workers employed on the project, whether by the contractor or subcontractor, must be paid the prevailing wage rates applicable to their trade or craft.

Performance Bond and Payment Bond Requirements

Public works bonds are required for projects valued at over $25,000 that are funded by state, federal, or local government dollars.

California requires a performance bond equal to 100% of the contract price on every public works contract. Unlike federal requirements with a $150,000 threshold, California has no minimum — even a $50,000 project requires a performance bond.

Payment bonds are also required on all California public works contracts exceeding $25,000, and the bond must equal 100% of the contract price. Contractors are required to file separate performance and payment bonds, which must come from a surety company licensed and approved by the state. Cash deposits or alternatives are not accepted.

Project Types by Trade: Opportunities Across All Specialties

The diversity of Measure HH projects creates opportunities for contractors across virtually every construction specialty:

• General Contractors: Prime design-build positions (already awarded), construction management, superintendent roles
• MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing): HVAC systems, electrical infrastructure, plumbing and fire protection for multi-story student housing, theatre, and aquatics facilities
• Concrete: Foundation work, parking structures, pool construction, structural concrete for mid-rise student housing
• Steel: Structural steel for multi-story buildings, metal framing, hangar construction at aviation center
• Roofing: Commercial roofing systems for large-scale educational facilities
• Interior Finishes: Drywall, flooring, acoustical ceilings for theatres, paint, millwork
• Specialty Trades: Theatre acoustics and AV systems, aquatics facility equipment, aviation hangar doors and systems, landscape and irrigation

Competitive Advantages for Local San Diego Contractors

Pacific Beach and La Jolla contractors possess distinct advantages when bidding on SDCCD projects. Familiarity with San Diego building codes, established relationships with local inspectors and permitting authorities, and proximity for rapid mobilization provide competitive edges. Contractors familiar with coastal San Diego neighborhoods—from Bird Rock's residential character to Mission Beach's mixed-use development patterns—understand the unique logistical challenges of urban college construction.

SDCCD's Community Benefits Agreement requires prime contractors to engage local, small, and historically underutilized contractors, creating structured opportunities for San Diego-based firms. Transportation costs and logistics favor contractors based in Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Mission Beach, and surrounding communities who can efficiently service campus locations throughout San Diego.

For Pacific Beach-based contractors, the City College downtown campus is just 15 minutes from Mission Beach, while Mesa College in Clairemont Mesa is 10 minutes from La Jolla. Miramar College's proximity to I-15 makes it accessible from coastal communities including Bird Rock and the Tourmaline Surfing Park area. This geographic advantage reduces mobilization costs and enables rapid response to site conditions.

Experience with California's strict prevailing wage compliance, DIR registration requirements, and public works documentation provides another competitive moat for established California contractors versus out-of-state firms unfamiliar with these regulatory frameworks.

Multi-Year Timeline: Sustained Work Pipeline Through 2030 and Beyond

Unlike one-off construction opportunities, Measure HH represents a 10-15 year construction program with 60 percent of the $3.5 billion budget spent by 2030. This creates exceptional business development potential for contractors who can establish performance track records on early projects.

The phased rollout means contractors who successfully complete initial 2026-2027 projects position themselves favorably for subsequent bid opportunities. Design-build teams like Sundt Construction, Rudolph & Sletten, PCL Construction Services, C.W. Driver, BNBuilders, Harper Construction, Flint Design Build, and DPR Construction will be seeking qualified subcontractors throughout the multi-year program.

Three program management firms — Cumming Group, Gafcon, and Kitchell — oversee the $3.5 billion Measure HH bond program, providing continuity and relationship-building opportunities for contractors who demonstrate quality work, on-time performance, and budget discipline.

Strategic Positioning: Building Long-Term SDCCD Relationships

For contractors looking to diversify beyond residential work or establish institutional construction credentials, Measure HH represents a transformational opportunity. Educational facilities construction provides portfolio diversity, recession resistance (public funding), and reference projects that demonstrate capacity for complex, regulated work.

Success on initial Measure HH projects creates pathways to other public works opportunities with the City of San Diego, San Diego Unified School District, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and other public agencies that value proven institutional construction experience.

The scale of Measure HH — $3.5 billion over 10-15 years — means contractors can build multi-year business plans around this single program, providing revenue stability and workforce planning certainty rare in construction.

Small Business and Minority-Owned Business Participation

SDCCD's Community Benefits Agreement requires prime contractors to engage local, small, and historically underutilized contractors. While specific numerical participation goals vary by project, the district has committed to maximizing opportunities for small business contractors.

Small contractors can participate through subcontracting with the eight prime design-build firms selected for various projects across the district's campuses. The diversity of project types — from 8,000 square-foot early education centers to $100 million campus expansions — creates entry points for contractors of varying sizes and specializations.