Established in 1995
OJEDA’s business focuses primarily on federal construction projects conducted under government contracts. The company employs project professionals and craft specialists with expertise in project management, project controls, construction engineering, estimating, safety, quality assurance (QA), and other fields essential to our construction projects.
Luis Ojeda and his wife, Angel Ojeda, started the business in 1995 with a small contract to provide services at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. They grew the business over the years by emphasizing customer service and by consistently delivering high-quality performance on contracts. Since their initial contract, OJEDA has completed numerous projects at the Hanford site and earned a reputation for reliable quality and excellent project outcomes. In 2012, Luis Ojeda was named the Washington State Minority Small Business person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Awarded Projects
PUREX Tunnel Collapse
On March 9th, 2017, Hanford Site made national news. One of the two PUREX tunnels (used for radioactive storage) collapsed potentially releasing radioactive pollutants into the air. OJEDA was the company contacted in emergency response. The hole was back filled and a non-permeable membrane was secured across the length of the tunnel.
For the attentive work operations and efficient project management, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company later presented OJEDA along side Intermech Inc. with the 2018 Project of the Year Award.
For more information on the PUREX tunnel collapse, view this article by the Washington Post.
CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company Pump and Treat
OJEDA took over a project that wasn't progressing according to CHPRC's expectations. OJEDA constructed the waste treatment facility for lime stabilization and performed excavation, poured 1,200 yards of cast-in-place concrete, installed fully enclosed conveyor systems to transfer sludge, installed all necessary instrumentation, installed a state-of-the-art touch-screen control integration system, erected nearly $1.1M in structural steel, and installed two 66-ft-high by 12-ft-wide silos each weighing ~15,800 lbs.
Not only was the scope of work completed beyond the client expectations, but CHPRC was also able to meet their essential milestones. Furthermore, OJEDA helped CHPRC attain the three required credits for 75% Waste Diversion, 30% Recycled Content, and 20% Regional Content. OJEDA has recycled 43.15 tons of wood, plastic, and concrete debris. Total Diverted Waste stands at 93.76%. Total Combined Recycled Value stands at 49.96% due to using structural steel that valued out at nearly 80% recycled. The Pump and Treat project was awarded a LEED Gold Facility Certificate for its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.
Employee Spotlight: Ernie Shoemaker
About Ernie Shoemaker
Ernie Shoemaker was hired by OJEDA in 2013 as a Carpenter Foreman/Field Work Supervisor. After 2 years of diligent work, he was promoted to Project Manager in 2015. Ernie's father worked in the Hanford site in the 70's and 80's working to keep various sites running. In contrast, Ernie is working towards the clean up, storage and decommissioning of those various sites as a part of Hanford's Clean-Up/Remediation Scope.
We asked Ernie what his favorite project has been: ". . . My favorite project is the PFP Core drilling and grouting project. It may not have been the flashiest project or one that changed the skyline, but it was one that hit a big milestone for Hanford and ensured the demolition of the PFP facility would start on track. . ."
Ernie has extensive training through the Carpenters and Millwrights unions. Prior to his employment with OJEDA, he worked with local Carpenters and Millwright Unions teaching a variety of classes such as Advanced Rigging, Scaffold Erection, OSHA 10, OSHA 30 as well as First Aid and CPR. Ernie holds and maintains a number of site specific trainings such as RAD worker II, 40 Hour Hazardous Waste Worker, Hazardous Waste Supervisor, Advanced Rigging, Critical and Special Lifts, Scaffolding Competent Person, Beryllium Worker, Fall Protection Aerial Lift Training.
Q & A
Q: What is one quality that makes OJEDA unique?
Ernie: OJEDA is a family oriented small business. They do a good job of caring for the employees from the management to the craft. Employees constantly express how OJEDA is one of the best companies that they have worked for.
Q: We asked his collogues, what is one quality that makes Ernie unique?
A: Ernie has an AMAZING ability to efficiently manage many projects and tasks at the same time. He is an outstanding people manager as well. His character and personality makes OJEDA a company that people want to work for!
Mission Statement
We do business with honesty and integrity, and strive to do what is right. We always provide excellent customer service. We own our mistakes, acknowledge them, and then work to fix them. We communicate honestly and in the open, handling issues with the appropriate people.
We work harder than the competition, always give our personal best, and put the team before self.