HOUSTON, Jan. 20, 2006 (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 at 2 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2006 in the board room at the PHA Executive Building, 111 East Loop North (Exit 29 off Loop 610) in Houston. Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting with Commissioner Kase Lawal, Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Cheryl Thompson-Draper, and Commissioner Janiece Longoria.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item G2) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to award an estimated $590,000 professional services contract to Kirksey Architects for the administration/gate building at the Bayport Container Terminal. If approved, Kirksey would be expected to provide the facility design for a building of approximately 30,000 square feet for operations personnel, and adjoining parking, service roads and utilities.
(Agenda item G3) The commission is expected to consider a recommendation to award an estimated $835,970 contract to Hermes Architects, Inc. to design the maintenance and repair building for the Bayport terminal. If approved, Hermes would be expected to provide the facility design with a building of approximately 50,000 square feet for maintenance personnel, and the adjoining parking, service roads and utilities.
(Agenda item G4) The commission's agenda also includes a recommendation to award an estimated $587,250 contract to L.A. King Company for a gate control system at Bayport. If approved, L.A. King would be expected to install the Navis Express computer software communications system for processing cargo.
(Agenda item G5) The commission also will consider a recommendation to award a $1.85 million contract to FMT Aircraft Gate Support Systems AB for a passenger access gangway system at the Bayport Cruise Terminal Complex. If approved, FMT would be expected to provide a gangway with a standardized passenger walkway, and spare parts for repairs. Funding for inspection trips to monitor the progress and condition of the work also would be included in the award.
(Agenda item G8) The commission will consider a recommendation to award a two-year contract in the estimated amount of $175,000 to TRC Environmental Corporation for air quality consulting at Bayport. If approved, TRC would also be required to monitor and maintain particulate samplers for fugitive dust in compliance with the requirements of the PHA's federal permit for Bayport.
(Agenda item K12) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to issue a request for qualifications for design/build services for the Bayport terminal's security and telecommunication systems integration. If approved, qualified vendors would be invited to submit their qualifications to prepare plans and specifications for integrating closed-circuit TV, gate access control, computer head-end equipment, WASIN connectivity equipment and communication/control fiber and wiring for Bayport's security, telecommunications, and operational systems at an estimated cost of $3.465 million.
(Agenda item K9) The commission's agenda also includes a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive proposals for installing a telecommunications link between Bayport, Barbours Cut Container Terminal, and the PHA's Executive Building. If approved, the links would be expected to provide a redundant network path on infrastructure for reliable voice, data and security communications among the three locations.
SECURITY MATTERS AND PROTECTION SERVICES
(Agenda item G7) The commission is expected to consider a recommendation to award a three-year contract to Smith Protective Services, Inc. for unarmed, uniformed security gate officer services. If approved, Smith Protective Services would be expected to provide officers at the PHA terminal gates and the cruise terminal parking lot from March 1, 2006 through February 28, 2009 at a total estimated cost not expected to exceed $7.087 million.
(Agenda item M1) The commission also will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to enter into an inter-governmental agreement with the city of La Porte for fire suppression services at Barbours Cut Terminal. If approved, the city would be expected to provide the services for eight months at a total cost of $20,704, payable in monthly installments of $2,588.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
(Agenda item K6) The commission's agenda includes a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive competitive sealed proposals (CSPs) for construction of entry/exit pre-check and inspection facilities at Barbours Cut Terminal. If approved, qualified vendors would be invited to submit CSPs to build a two-stage entry gate and a two-stage exit gate to perform pre-check and inspection functions for trucks entering and exiting the terminal. The project is expected to include approximately 20 acres of new concrete pavement, gate building, utilities, communication and camera pedestals, truck canopies, sign/camera bridges, truck scales, fencing, and landscaping (estimated cost range: $20 million to $27.5 million).
PARTNERSHIP SERVICE AGREEMENT
(Agenda item M3) The commission will consider a recommendation to renew a one-year service agreement with the Houston Area Urban League. If approved, the HAUL would be expected to provide the PHA with an electronic database list of its members and volunteers for distribution of PHA's promotional materials and provide a major sponsorship level table at two events all for an estimated cost of $25,000 for the period beginning March 1, 2006 and ending February 28, 2007.
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
To access the port's website photo gallery, please visit http://www.portofhouston.com/publicrelations/publicrelations.html and click the link for PHA Photo Gallery.
The Port of Houston Authority logo can be found at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=720