HOUSTON, July 29, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Port Commission of The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) approved a professional services contract for almost $600,000 to install communications cable and hardware connecting security equipment at the Turning Basin and Woodhouse terminals to the Port Coordination Center, as well as an amendment of Tariff No. 8, relating to berthing vessels, payment of charges and demurrage fees, to expand free time accommodations during the current economic climate, on Wednesday, July 29, beginning at 9 a.m. in the board room of 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 Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Kase Lawal, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Janiece Longoria and Commissioner Elyse Lanier.
Commissioners welcomed the 11 college and graduate school participants in the authority's summer intern and co-op program, and the interns expressed their gratitude for the opportunity in a special presentation. The 2009 interns represent Southwestern University, Texas State University, North Harris Community College, University of Southern California, Houston Community College, Prairie View A&M University, Brigham Young University and University of Houston.
FACILITIES MATTERS
(Agenda I1) Commissioners approved awarding a construction contract to Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc., for the Bayport Terminal Administration Building for $7,944,562, and for the Bayport Terminal Maintenance and Repair Building for $14,210,060. To achieve cost savings, the port authority offered contractors the opportunity to submit proposals for building both structures. This award takes advantage of the discounted pricing that resulted.
(Agenda I5) Commissioners approved awarding a professional services contract to S&B Infrastructure, Ltd., for fiber optic installation from Turning Basin to Woodhouse Terminal for $576,500. The design will provide for installation of communications cable and hardware to connect security equipment at the Turning Basin and Woodhouse terminals to the Port Coordination Center. The project will be funded in part by a federal grant.
(Agenda I6) The commission approved a $98,230 change order to Forde Construction Company, Inc. for concrete replacement project at Wharf Nos. 23, 26 and 29 and Lower Level Road at the Turning Basin Terminal. These wharves were extremely busy at the time the project was planned and carried out. As a result, the port authority offered an incentive amount of $90,000 to the contractor, if the work was completed in up to 30 days. The contractor successfully met this requirement, to the benefit of the port authority. The change order also provides for repair of an additional area of pavement.
OPERATIONS MATTERS
(Agenda K2) Commissioners approved amending Port of Houston Authority Tariff No. 8 relating to berthing vessels, payment of charges and demurrage free time, effective Aug. 1, 2009. Port authority staff believes that less stringent free time requirements will benefit PHA customers and users during the current economic conditions, and benefit the port authority as well. This proposed action would extend the free time on most inbound cargo from 15 days to 30 days, and on single inbound consignments of 2,000 tons or more from 30 days to 45 days. Other changes to Tariff No. 8 clarify berthing arrangements for vessels and arrangement for payment of charges.
PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT MATTERS
(Agenda L3) Commissioners approved amending a contract with W. D. Schock Company, Inc., for $94,093 in additional time and materials expended on the Sound Pilot Program, due to Hurricane Ike and coordination with one of the test home owners, and testing of the 10 remaining homes expected to participate in the Sound Pilot Program.
(Agenda L6) Commissioners approved a new form for pipeline license agreements and to eliminate six-month renewals. Recently, PHA staff, with valuable input from the Texas Energy Coalition (TEC), revised the recommended form to be used for PHA pipeline license agreements, to better address issues of safety, environmental impact, assignments, and relocation. The new form would be used, for approved installations of new pipelines on PHA property, existing pipeline installations on PHA property without a current executed license, and for current licenses, upon request or renewal.
(Agenda L8) Commissioners approved advertising and receipt of qualifications for acoustical consulting services and monitoring and maintenance of the Sound Monitoring System at the Bayport Terminal Construction Project for a term of two years. These services will meet the requirements of condition Nos. 8 and 9 of the Department of the Army Permit No. 21520. The selected firm will maintain the existing monitors collect and analyze data from the monitors and provide professional acoustical consulting services based on the scope of the project.
(Agenda L9) Commissioners approved authorizing an additional payment of up to $5.7 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for FY2009 cost-shared expenses for construction in and along the Houston Ship Channel.
(Agenda L10) Commissioners approved entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and escrow agreement with the USACE for the maintenance dredging of non-federal berthing areas and channels of the Houston Ship Channel (Barbours Cut Terminal) with the construction amount as determined by the USACE and PHA. In fall 2009, the USACE will be performing scheduled work and maintenance dredging in the Houston Ship Channel adjacent to PHA's Barbours Cut Terminal (from Morgan's Point to Exxon). Maintenance dredging is currently needed at all of PHA's Barbours Cut Terminal docks to re-establish program depth. By contracting this work through USACE's competitive bidding process, PHA will save money as compared to PHA's cost estimate to conduct the work independently.
TRADE DEVELOPMENT MATTERS
(Agenda O1) Commissioners approved entering into a consulting agreement with RK Johns & Associates, Inc. to provide professional services to PHA for a term of one year for $44,000. The proposed analysis will assist PHA in identifying and planning for likely impacts, on markets, customers and port businesses, of scenarios that may be posed by the global economic climate of 2010-2014. Consultant will assist in all aspects of this critical assessment, especially in the areas of trade forecasting and present recommendations for PHA marketing and planning.
This news release is not a substitute for the official PHA agenda. To view the complete agenda, please visit: http://portofhouston.com/publicrelations/meetings.html
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, there are more than 8,000 vessel calls at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage and second in overall total tonnage. 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. The second recertification of those facilities in 2009 included an extension for the state-of-the-art Bayport Container Terminal. PHA is the first port authority in the world to receive ISO 28000:2007 certification for Port Police and the perimeter security operations at both the Barbours Cut and Bayport Terminals. 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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