EMPOWERED BY RELATIONSHIPS
Strength + Competencies
We work with our clients collaboratively throughout the life of a project. This approach requires Fortis to be proficient in an array of disciplines across the construction spectrum.
General Contracting
Preconstruction
Value Analysis
Constructability
Construction
Management
Site Selection /
Feasibility Studies
Financial Modeling
Virtual Design
& Construction
Committed to Excellence
At Fortis, we are dedicated to excellence in every project we undertake, every single day. Our commitment to our Core Values drives us to foster empowering and mutually beneficial relationships with our clients, staff, and communities – helping everyone reach their full potential.
What our clients say about us and the loyalty they show through repeat business speaks volumes about our dedication and quality.
Building with Pride
Safety
Our safety culture is built on care, not compliance.
Across every Fortis project and location we utilize a proactive approach with detailed tracking and analysis of all safety events. This information is used to identify, measure, target and then improve or even prevent accidents and injuries in the field. This approach has proven its value, and this in turn has resulted in the Associated General Contractors’ Safety Program Recognition Indicating Dedication & Excellence (PRIDE) Award, which honors “members who are willing to continuously improve and who are innovative industry leaders in safety.” We have also received the Highwire Platinum Certification, and the highest scores within the Oregon Health & Science University Safety Climate Assessment program.
Driven by Innovation
Sustainability
We are committed to addressing our impact on the environment in the communities we live, work, and play in. In partnership with our clients, we are on the cutting edge of decarbonizing construction and using innovative methods to build a sustainable future. In 2022, we were the first Oregon-based general contractor to sign the Sustainable Contractors Commitment, and we apply our own Fortis Jobsite Sustainability Standards to all projects over $2.5M.
Empowered by Belonging
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Our responsibility, as leaders and supervisors, is to create a welcoming, inclusive, and hate-free job site.
To assist in this responsibility, Fortis provides training on our Zero-Tolerance Policy, expectations and behaviors for all Fortis employees and subcontractor partners who work on our sites. In addition, our company-specific Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training Program includes job site culture initiatives that address Bias Awareness and Harassment Prevention. This ensures consistency on all our project sites and develops project environments that are inclusive for all.
Ensuring Diverse-Business Inclusion
Our Approach to Success
Fortis encourages and aspires for involvement during pre-construction so that firms are set up for success
Specific to project needs, we hold preliminary community-focused and MWESB/COBID-focused meet-and-greet events, which take place well in advance of bidding to help maximize understanding and involvement and set a foundation for success.
We look closely at the entire project early, in order to identify scopes that are good matches to the skill sets of small and diverse subcontractors. We may break larger scopes of work into better-manageable sizes for certified firms and/or work with larger and more-established subcontractors and suppliers to ensure they actively solicit and involve diverse second-tier subcontractors.
Achieving a high MWESB/COBID participation rate requires a commitment and courageous decisions from an Owner with the bigger picture in mind. When financials are the only measuring stick, certified-firm participation suffers, so Fortis works to provide a pathway to meet the target goal. This could mean modifying outdated processes or accepting a higher bid from a certified firm to give them the right opportunity.
Fortis realizes that MWESB/COBID-certified contractors can struggle with cash position; to help with this we provide an option for early payment with subcontracts under $200,000. Payments are guaranteed to be made to these subcontractors within 15 days of invoice approval.
Our mutually beneficial relationships with organizations including the Professional Business Development Group, LatinoBuilt, and the National Association of Minority Contractors help us to stay at the forefront of industry MWESB/COBID utilization while continuing to build relationships.
Virtual Design & Construction.
Fortis’ team of in-house VDC professional staff can bring your building to life before ever breaking ground. While every good contractor will say they provide Virtual Design & Construction services, we cut the sales pitch and will show you the true impact of what our VDC Team has accomplished. Get in touch if you’d like to hear more success stories.
For OSU’s $51M, 135,000-square-foot Learning Innovation Center, Fortis created an Enhanced Closeout And Maintenance Management (eCAMM) VDC package. Found to be so useful, OSU is now adopting our deliverable for campus-wide facilities management.
Our experienced Reality Capture professionals are a key component in grounding any complex construction challenge to real world conditions. Fortis’ ability to synthesize design and construction information with laser scanning, construction photography, and drone imagery has made the difference in understanding highly technical design challenges and building project certainty.
