HOUSTON, June 25, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commission will consider several recommendations involving contract awards, bids and proposals, professional services and general administrative and operational matters during its public meeting beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 28, 2004 in the 4th floor board room at 111 East Loop North (exit 29 off Loop 610). Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting to be attended by Vice Chairman Kase Lawal, Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Cheryl Thompson-Draper, and Commissioner Janiece Longoria.
Bayport Matters
(Agenda item G7) The commission will consider a recommendation to award a $37.9 million contract to Zachry Construction Corporation for construction of the container yard and associated infrastructure at Phase 1A of the Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal. If approved, the contract is expected to reflect modifications to the project scope, including a revised concrete specification and an option to delete construction features associated with temporary gate facilities.
(Agenda item G8) The commission will consider a recommendation to award a contract to Konecranes VLC Corporation in the estimated amount of $10.19 million for the purchase of seven diesel electric container yard cranes. If approved, the cranes will be utilized at PHA's Barbours Cut Container Terminal and the Bayport container facility.
(Agenda item K9) The commission's agenda includes a recommendation to authorize PHA to advertise and receive competitive sealed proposals for the installation of a sound monitoring system at Bayport. The system is a requirement under the terms and conditions of the federal permit granted for Bayport. If approved, CSPs submitted for consideration are expected to include estimated total costs ranging from $150,000 to $200,000.
(Agenda item L2) The commission will consider a recommendation to evaluate and rank qualifications and authorize PHA to negotiate a contract for one company to conduct testing of soils materials and asphalt at Bayport Phase 1A. The request for qualifications for the project was advertised in the Houston Chronicle and on the port's website. Additionally, 56 companies were notified directly through PHA's Vendor Information System. PHA's Engineering Department received, reviewed, and evaluated seven RFQ responses and identified three companies -- Fugro Consultants LP, Geotest Engineering, Inc., and HTS, Inc. -- as the most qualified to provide the required services.
Capital Improvement Matters
(Agenda item K4) The commission will consider a recommendation to evaluate and rank competitive sealed proposals and authorize PHA to negotiate a contract for construction of a gate house complex and maintenance building for Ramp Point at PHA's Barbours Cut Container Terminal. The request for CSPs for the project was advertised in the Houston Chronicle and on the port's website. Additionally, 304 companies were notified directly through PHA's Vendor Information System. PHA's Engineering Department received, reviewed, and evaluated CSPs that were submitted by three companies -- Forde Construction Co., Inc., Millsap Waterproofing, Inc., and State Construction, L.P. The contract award is expected to range between $1 million and $1.3 million.
(Agenda item K11) The commission will also consider a recommendation to reject all competitive sealed proposals that were received for consideration of a contract award for the replacement of the roof on the Turning Basin Terminal's maintenance building. PHA's Engineering Department received, reviewed and evaluated all three CSPs that were submitted for consideration. Two of the firms did not have insurance coverage that met PHA's specified requirements. The third firm's CSP met all of the specified requirements but the price was 62 percent above PHA's estimated $40,000 to $80,000 cost range. Pending the commission's authorization, PHA is expected to re-advertise at a later date to receive new CSPs.
The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of cargo. Each year, more than 6,600 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and sixth largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S. port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange. For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com
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