The project was to be a negotiated contract between the Department of Public Works and the Gwich'in Development Corporation's joint venture contractor, GSA Construction, but the two failed to reach an agreement on a price for the job in August, when the government walked away from the table.

A.J MacKenzie, Manager of GSA Construction -- a joint venture company with the GDC -- said Public Works wouldn't move on the offer past the $7.8 million the government had budgeted. GSA's estimate came in just over $9 million.

Brian Lemax, regional superintendent for Public Works, said Dowlands Contracting Ltd. has taken negotiations over from GSA Construction.

"(GSA) will no longer be involved directly," Lemax said.

Negotiations have resumed and Lemax said they hope to reach an agreement before the end of the month.

"We have a completed design and some negotiations are taking place. Negotiations haven't concluded and they are still trying to reach an agreement that's acceptable to the government of the NWT and the contractor."

"If that's successful, then we will award the contract," Lemax added. "If not, then our only option is public tender."

Public Works will hold off until the new year before calling for public tenders on the project.

"We would like to have something concluded by the end of December," Lemax said. "I think that that is possible."

Gwich'in Development Corporation CEO Tom Connors said they requested the change in negotiators -- not the government -- and they hope to have a contract by the end of the month.

"The Gwich'in Development Corporation and the Inuvialuit Development Corporation requested the negotiated contract," Connors said. "All we're doing is switching the lead negotiator to Dowlands."

He said there appears to be a new attitude at the table.

"They seem to be very motivated to come to some kind of arrangement," he said. "They want to see a college built."

Dowlands manager Guy Pemberton could not be reached by press time.