POULSBO — Two Kitsap construction firms qualified for part of a $500 million contract to build at Navy facilities in Hawaii.

General Construction Company, of Poulsbo, and Triton Marine Construction Corp., of Bremerton, were two of the six firms named as qualifying for the contract to improve shoreside infrastructure, according to a statement Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii released Tuesday.

Three of the firms named are based in Hawaii.

Although General Construction qualified to compete for a share of the projects, the firm hasn’t been awarded a job yet, said Vice President Jeff Arviso.

He noted that the firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kiewit Construction, has qualified for a similar, $80 million construction program at Kitsap Naval facilities.

The six contractors that applied were the six that qualified, said Denise Emsley, public affairs officer for Naval Facilities Engineering Hawaii. They were chosen after the Navy decided they have the resources to complete the projects at a reasonable cost, Emsley said.

“It’s going to depend on what currently working load is, how many employees they have, if they are able to take on more work,” Emsley said. “It’s not segregated, like every (company) gets a piece of the pie.”

The work includes the construction, repair and alteration of waterfront-related structures and facilities, dredging and other improvements. All work is set to be completed in 2014.

Emsley said although off-island contractors bring supervisory staff to the islands, they often hire local Hawaiians for labor positions.

Arviso said that is a common practice. However, that doesn’t mean the firm won’t have to hire.

“If we took key personnel to Hawaii that could open up opportunities to hire people locally in Kitsap to sustain our local work,” he said.