HOUSTON, Feb. 25, 2005 (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, February 28, 2005 at the PHA Executive Office Building, located at 111 East Loop North (Exit 29 off Loop 610). Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting with 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 G4) The commission will consider a recommendation to amend the contract with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 program management services. If approved, LAN will receive an estimated $2.96 million in the fourth year of its contract to provide management services to complete designs for the cruise terminal, Phase 1 gate and Port Road; manage the design of the Phase 1 wharf and container yard; manage the construction contracts for the cruise terminal, Phase 1 gate and Port Road; and manage additional planning and other technical studies.
(Agenda item G5) The commission also will consider a recommendation to amend the contract with JWD Group for the gate design of the Bayport terminal. If approved, JWD's contract would be amended by an estimated $487,600 for a revised scope of work that would include designing the pavement and underground utilities for larger gate stages.
(Agenda item K2) The commission's agenda also includes a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive competitive sealed proposals (CSPs) for construction of a lift station and force main at Bayport. If approved, qualified vendors would be invited to submit CSPs to build a lift station south of the Bayport container yard and a force main parallel to Port Road to the treatment facility located west of State Highway 146 (estimated cost range: $1.5 million to $1.8 million).
(Agenda item L1) The commission will consider a request to evaluate and rank qualifications for a potential contract for wharf and dredging design for Bayport. The request for qualifications for the project was advertised in the Houston Chronicle and on the port's website. Additionally, 258 companies were notified directly through PHA's Vendor Information System. PHA's Engineering Department received, reviewed, and evaluated the three responses from Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation, DMJM+Harris, Inc., and Moffatt & Nichol and determined that each was qualified for consideration to provide the required services.
(Agenda item L2) Another recommendation the commission will consider involves evaluating and ranking qualifications for a potential contract to design the container yard at Bayport. The request for qualifications for the project was advertised in the Houston Chronicle and on the port's website. Additionally, 371 companies were notified directly through PHA's Vendor Information System. PHA's Engineering Department received, reviewed, and evaluated 12 responses and determined that three companies -- Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation, JWD Group, and Klotz Associates -- were the most qualified for consideration to provide the required services.
SECURITY MATTERS
(Agenda item K14) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to issue a RFQ for professional engineering services for the secured truck entrance at the Turning Basin. If approved, qualified vendors will be invited to submit their qualifications for consideration of a potential contract to prepare plans and specifications for the project. The location of the new entrance road will be the Cargo Bay Road right-of way, located in the Port of Houston Industrial Park -- West.
SERVICE AGREEMENT
(Agenda items M6) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to renew a one-year subscription service agreement with the Houston International Seafarers Center. If approved, the center would be expected to provide humanitarian services to all seafarers calling at the port. (Effective: February 1, 2005. Cost: $100,000.)
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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