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Board approves $69 million enabling work for Project Health and signs Integrated Project Delivery agreement
Summary
Regents authorized the first intermediate design review for Project Health and approved an Integrated Project Delivery Agreement; board materials show Project Health remains within its $2.191 billion program budget and on schedule.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents on April 11 authorized a $69 million increase in enabling‑work funding and approved an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) agreement for Project Health, a large UNMC development intended to expand clinical care, research and health‑professions education across Nebraska.
President Jeff Gold and UNMC leaders described Project Health as a system‑wide priority intended to expand clinical research capacity and address long‑standing rural and urban workforce shortages in health care. The board was presented with an intermediate design report (IDR) that authorizes demolition, utility relocation, stormwater work and preconstruction excavation necessary to keep the schedule. The board record shows the project remains within the previously approved program budget of $2,191,000,000.
UNMC leaders and the chancellor told regents that the facility will increase clinical‑research space, expand training for advanced clinical specialties and permit more patients in Nebraska to participate in clinical trials. President Gold said clinical‑trial access is a major driver: “Every patient who gets enrolled in a clinical trial gets access to treatments not otherwise available; the evidence shows such access can improve outcomes,” he said.
The board approved two linked agenda items — the IDR authorizing the enabling work and the IPD agreement that formalizes owner–architect–contractor responsibilities — in a combined roll call. One regent abstained on the action; the motion otherwise passed.
Why this matters: Project Health represents a major capital and programmatic investment for the University of Nebraska and the state. Regents said the project will improve statewide clinical training capacity, help recruit and retain health providers for underserved areas and expand opportunities for patients to participate in research. The board noted fundraising and philanthropic partnerships will be required to complete the project as planned.
What’s next: With the IDR approved, construction teams will proceed with utility relocations and other enabling work; UNMC and the system will report progress to the board as the project moves through subsequent design and construction phases.
