In 2014, the University of Pennsylvania Health System established the Penn First Team, comprising Penn executives, contract designers, and architects, to plan a $1.6 billion, state-of-the-art facility that includes 1.5 million square feet, 17 floors, and 504 patient rooms.

During the planning phase, the team engaged COFCO for ideas and a preliminary budget. They later sought additional options before finalizing the bid specifications.

In March 2020, just before the COVID-19 outbreak, COFCO began working remotely on a solution for this large-scale project. After a debriefing in June, they refined their proposal to meet the vision of the Penn First Team.

On July 23, 2020, COFCO was awarded the furniture contract for the Penn Pavilion. They collaborated closely with the Penn First Team, meeting biweekly to finalize specifications and navigate logistics.

Despite pandemic-related supply chain challenges, COFCO efficiently managed orders with 44 vendors, delivering over 100 tractor-trailers of furniture without any scheduling errors. The first order was placed in December 2020, with installation beginning in March and final completion on October 29, 2021—just in time for the Pavilion’s grand opening on October 30th.

Led by account executive Erin Costello, COFCO’s core team included one designer and two project managers, supported by the entire staff. This $10 million project stands out as one of COFCO’s most significant achievements to date.