Port Commission to address 11 action items at Tuesday meeting

VANCOUVER, Wash.-The Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners meets Tuesday, September 23, in a regularly-scheduled meeting, and will consider 11 action items.

Among the items Commissioners Brian Wolfe, Nancy Baker and Jerry Oliver will consider are lease extensions, task orders for the West Vancouver Freight Access Project, a public works contract for fill and early grading at a portion of the Rufener property, authorization to solicit proposals, and the purchase of a second mobile harbor crane.

The meeting is set to begin at 9:30 a.m., following an executive session, in the Commission Room at the port’s administration building, located at 3103 NW Lower River Road in Vancouver.

Lease extensions
Staff will ask that the commission approve lease extensions with tenant Great Western Malting at the former Fort Vancouver Plywood site, and on the rail spur that is used for delivery of malt to Great Western Malting off of the port’s main rail network.

Task orders for rail construction
Based on a recommendation from the port’s engineer, and facilities staff, commissioners will be asked to approve “Rail Task Order No. 3” to Wiser Rail Engineering in the amount of $265,000 to perform final engineering and design for the West Vancouver Freight Access grain subdivision project.

Under a separate action item, the commission will be asked to authorize amendment No. 1 to “Rail Task Order No. 1” with Wiser Rail Engineering for the amount of $1,210,000 to perform engineering, design and program management services through January 1, 2010. All of the work would be in conjunction with the design and construction of the West Vancouver Freight Access Project.

A third action item regarding rail construction will ask the commission to authorize “Rail Task Order No. 4” with HW Lochner in the amount of $305,000 to perform final engineering and design for the West Vancouver Freight Access Project, Terminal 4 stormwater management pond reconfiguration.

Authorize Public Works contract
The commission will be asked by staff to authorize a Public Works contract with Tapani Underground  (Battle Ground, Wash.) for the construction of the second phase of the fill and grading of the port’s “Parcel 8” on the former Rufener farm property. The property is being prepared for light industrial development, and is the first of two parcels on the former farmland that will be developed for that use. The contract with Tapani Underground includes a not-to-exceed amount of $1,293,991.82, including Washington State sales tax.

Change order to contract for construction testing services
A request for a change order to a contract for construction testing services will come before the commission, which would services that have been provided under a contract with Mayes Testing Engineers since July 2006. The change order would increase the amount of the contract by $100,000 for a new not-to-exceed total amount of $336,100, and an increase in time of 212 days to August 1, 2009.

Authorization to solicit RFPs
Public affairs staff will request the commission’s authorization to solicit proposals for the port’s advertising and marketing agency services this fall. The port has been working with Coates Kokes (Portland) since 2003, and finds timing to be appropriate for requesting new proposals.

Environmental services staff will also request authorization to solicit proposals from companies that would conduct sampling of groundwater at port parcels previously leased by Fort Vancouver Plywood, Barzier, Automotive Services, Inc., and Alcoa/Evergreen as a part of the port’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

The port’s facilities staff will also request authorization to solicit proposals for the procurement of crushed stone products for use at numerous port development projects.

Authorization to purchase a second mobile harbor crane
Staff will request that the commission sign a resolution waving the competitive bidding requirements and declaring a sole source of supply for a Liebherr mobile harbor crane, which would be the port’s second such crane. The second crane is needed in order for the port to keep up with the boom in import of wind energy components that is expected to arrive in 2009.

The meeting will be televised live on CVTV, and will be streamed live on www.cvtv.org.

At A Glance

Who: Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners
What: Regular meeting
When: Tuesday, September 23, 9:30 a.m.
Quick Facts: lease extensions, task orders for the West Vancouver Freight Access Project, a public works contract for fill and early grading at a portion of the Rufener property, authorization to solicit proposals and the purchase of a second mobile harbor crane.

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About the Port of Vancouver USA

While working on some of the most important port development on the U.S. West Coast, the Port of Vancouver USA is cooperating with its tenants and customers to schedule and maximize business potential during construction. The end result will show why the port is “On Track to the Future,” as the completed developments will mean expansion of business and resulting new jobs for the community.

The Port of Vancouver, USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

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