HOUSTON, Sept. 26, 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 Thursday, September 29, 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.
The meeting was rescheduled because of Hurricane Rita. A preliminary assessment has found that PHA facilities sustained minimal damage from Hurricane Rita. The PHA's facilities were reopened today only for PHA employees and related port personnel who have the means and capabilities to safely travel to the facilities. The PHA's facilities will be reopened on Tuesday, September 27 for commercial trucks assigned to transport cargo in and out of the facilities. The PHA's facilities will not receive commercial vessels and barges until the U.S. Coast Guard determines and announces the reopening of the Houston Ship Channel.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item G2) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to award an estimated $446,000 contract to Trailboss Trailers, Inc. for the purchase of 20 terminal chassis for the Bayport Container Terminal.
(Agenda item G3) The commission is expected to consider a recommendation to award an estimated $579,214 contract to Briggs Equipment Trust (dba Briggs Equipment) for two empty container handling machines for Bayport.
(Agenda item G7) The commission also will consider a recommendation to award two contracts for the purchase of 23 vehicles for Bayport. If approved, Philpott Motor Company would receive a $198,596 contract for 16 vehicles, and Classic Chevrolet Beaumont would receive a contract for $91,417 for seven vehicles.
(Agenda item G12) The commission will consider a recommendation to award a $300,000 professional services contract to Professional Service Industries, Inc. for materials testing verification services for Bayport. If approved, the firm would be expected to perform quality assurance testing for concrete, soils, asphalt and other materials incorporated into the first phase of Port Road, marine terminal gate and cruise terminal construction projects.
(Agenda item G13) The commission also is expected to consider a recommendation to award an estimated $14.87 million contract to McCarthy Building Companies for the first phase of Port Road at Bayport.
(Agenda item G19) The commission will consider a recommendation to amend JWD Group's professional service contract by an estimated $50,000. If approved, JWD would be expected to accommodate the PHA's requested changes in the design of the electrical conduit, grounding and telecommunication infrastructure for the Phase 1 marine terminal gate in order to enhance security and improve operations.
(Agenda item G20) The commission is expected to consider a recommendation to execute a $95,362 change order on Zachry Construction Corporation's contract for Bayport's Phase 1A container yard. If approved, Zachry would be expected to provide additional fill material at the high mast light pole bases and electrical conduit located outside of the container yard.
(Agenda item K10) The commission's agenda also includes a recommendation to evaluate and rank competitive sealed proposals (CSPs) and authorize PHA to negotiate a potential construction contract ranging from $20 million to $22 million for the first phase of the Bayport cruise terminal building. The request for CSPs was advertised in a local newspaper, on the port's website, and through the VIS. A total of 228 companies downloaded the request from the VIS and responses from Morganti Texas, Inc., Stewart - Matl, Ltd., and Zachry Construction Corporation were received, reviewed and evaluated.
(Agenda item K11) The commissioners will consider a recommendation to evaluate and rank CSPs and authorize PHA to negotiate a potential construction contract ranging from $10 million to $11.2 million for site and utilities at the first phase of the Bayport cruise terminal complex. A total of 135 companies downloaded the request for CSPs from the VIS and responses from McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and Zachry Construction Corporation were received, reviewed and evaluated.
(Agenda item K12) The commission agenda also includes a recommendation to evaluate and rank CSPs and authorize the PHA to negotiate a potential construction contract ranging from $25 million to $27.5 million for wharf and dredging at the first phase of Bayport's cruise terminal. A total of 110 companies downloaded the request for CSPs from the VIS and responses were received from McCarthy Building Co., Inc., Orion Construction, LP, and Zachry Construction Corporation.
(Agenda item K13) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive CSPs for the potential purchase of three 10,000-lb. capacity forklift machines for Bayport at an estimated cost of $110,000.
(Agenda item K14) The commission also will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive CSPs for the potential purchase of a 135-ft. telescopic boom manlift for Bayport at an estimated cost of $200,000.
(Agenda item K17) The commission also is expected to consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive qualifications for professional services to provide air quality consulting and particulate sampler monitoring and maintenance at Bayport at a cost ranging between $180,000 and $220,000.
(Agenda item K18) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to negotiate an estimated $450,000 to $600,000 contract with L.A. King Company for installation of a gate control system at Bayport. If approved, the company would be expected to provide uniform software integration for the coordinated and efficient operational performance of both the Bayport and Barbours Cut terminal gate control systems.
(Agenda item L2) The commission's agenda also includes a recommendation to evaluate and rank qualifications for the negotiation of a potential contract for materials testing at Bayport's cruise terminal. The request for qualifications (RFQ) was downloaded from the VIS by 32 companies. The PHA received, reviewed and evaluated 13 responses and identified Alliance Laboratories, Inc., Geotest Engineering, Inc., and Terracon Consultant, Inc. as the most qualified to provide the required services.
SECURITY MATTERS
(Agenda item K16) The commission will consider a recommendation to authorize the PHA to advertise and receive proposals for unarmed, uniformed security gate officer services at PHA facilities. In 2003, the commission authorized a nearly $3.8 million contract for U.S. Security Associates, Inc. to provide these services from February 1, 2004 until January 31, 2007. Because additional services are required to meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations for heightened security, the funds authorized by the initial contract are expected to be depleted by February 2006. If approved, the PHA will initiate a new contract on March 1, 2006 to continue the services.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MATTERS
(Agenda item K7) The commission will consider a recommendation to evaluate and rank CSPs and authorize the PHA to negotiate a potential construction contract in the estimated range of $1.2 million to $1.5 million for the repair of slope failure at Manchester Terminal.
(Agenda item G18) The commission also will consider a recommendation to amend the PHA's contract with Scientech Engineers in an estimated amount not to exceed $25,393 for the replacement of a transit shed at the Turning Basin Terminal. Based on discussions with users of the transit shed, PHA has requested that the construction of a new shed be delayed and that the existing shed be demolished to provide an open wharf. If approved, Scientech will be expected to revise the drawings and specifications to provide for the demolition of the existing shed, modify the support for the existing concrete canopy over the rail tracks, and provide drainage for the open wharf.
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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.