HOUSTON, April 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) Commission approved contract awards, bids and operation matters at its April 24, 2006 public meeting. Chairman Jim Edmonds presided over the meeting with Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Kase Lawal, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Janiece Longoria and Commissioner Elyse Lanier.
SECURITY MATTERS
(Agenda item G2) The commission approved the awarding of an estimated $189,000 construction contract to Four Seasons Development Co. Inc. for the installation of U.S. Customs and Border Protection radiation portal monitors at Ramp Point at Barbours Cut. The project is part of a proposed $4 million to $6.5 million portwide radiation portal monitoring system. Currently, there are about one dozen such monitors in place. Upon completion, there will be a total of 32 monitors.
(Agenda item G6) Satterfield and Pontikes Construction Inc. received the commission's No. 1 ranking for a potential $20 million to $27 million contract to install entry/exit pre-check and inspection facilities at Barbours Cut Terminal, Phase 2. PHA is now authorized to negotiate a contract with Satterfield and Pontikes. The second-ranked company was McCarthy Building Companies Inc., while Morganti Texas Inc. was ranked third.
PROPOSED PURCHASE AGREEMENT
(Agenda item M2) Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement between PHA and Harris County for reciprocal procurement contracts. The agreement allows the port authority and the county to use each other's purchase agreements whenever such usage would result in cost and time savings. Purchases exceeding $25,000 will still require port commission approval.
STEP PROJECTS
(Agenda items M3, M4, M5) Commissioners gave PHA approval to apply for State Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP) funds of $396,000 for the Turning Basin Beautification Project; $440,000 for the Barbours Cut Boulevard Beautification Project and support the application of the city of Morgan's Point for $152,000 to fund the Morgan's Point Pedestrian Pathway Project. Those totals amount to 80 percent of eligible project costs that can be reimbursed through federal funds. The program is administered and the funds distributed by the Texas Department of Transportation.
FUEL PURCHASES
(Agenda item No. G4) The commission approved a request to authorize negotiations with and award a contract to J.A.M. Distributing Company for the purchase of unleaded gasoline and Texas Low Emission Diesel Fuels (TxLED) for Barbours Cut Terminal, Bayport Container Terminal and Turning Basin Terminal and the purchase of two fuel storage tanks for Bayport Container Terminal at a cost of $7.5 million or less.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda items G9, G10, G11, G12) Commissioners also approved:
-- A contract amendment resulting in a reduction of $577,966 in the
$27.4 million contract to McCarthy Building Companies related to
the Bayport Phase 1 Marine Terminal Gate
-- A contract amendment resulting in an increase of $202,000 to
McCarthy Building Companies for the construction of a temporary
road connection to move Port Road traffic onto the new Port Road
pavement about 45 days earlier than scheduled.
-- A credit of $250,000, amending the $62.5 million contract awarded
Zachry Construction Corporation for the Bayport Terminal Complex
Phase 1A wharf and dredging project
-- A credit of $550,000, amending the $37.9 million contract awarded
Zachry for the Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1A Container Yard.
The amendment is being proposed in an effort to avoid redundancy
in the installation of security cameras at Bayport. The $550,000
will now be removed from the Zachry contract and the security
camera installations rolled into the Phase I gate and cruise
terminal contracts. The combined funds will be awarded to one
security contractor to ensure uniformity of equipment and design
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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.