Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) board of directors held a special board meeting telephonically to approve a budget increase and construction contract. During a February meeting in Wrangell the board discussed the possibility of completing the Swan-Tyee Intertie Helicopter Pad Project in FY2016.
SEAPA staff requested a $937,395 increase to the fiscal year budget to complete the project. The approval of the budget included a $53,165 increase to the overall budget of the project.
Voting alternate and electrical superintendent Clay Hammer represented Wrangell in the meeting. Hammer made the motion to increase, and the board unanimously voted yes, meaning the project will be completed ahead of schedule.
BAM, LLC began installing the helicopter pads in September of last year. To date, just under half of the 105 pads have been installed, and BAM is confident the remaining 55 pads will be installed by the end of FY2016.
“This project seemed like it was never going to get started and now it seems like it’s going out like a bang,” said voting alternate Charles Freeman. “I kind of like that.”
SEAPA board members also authorized staff to enter into a contract with IMCO General Construction, Inc. for SEAPA’s Swan Lake Reservoir Expansion project. IMCO came in with the lowest bid at $4,338,889, just below the engineers estimate of $4,502,930.
Bids were due on March 3 and four other companies entered their bids to meet the deadline. Other bidders included Pacific Pile & Marine L.P. $6,229,000, BAM, LLC $6,620,000, Orion Marine Contractors, Inc. $7,450,000, and Triton Marine Construction Corp. $8,810,600.
SEAPA considered multiple factors when evaluating bids including cost, schedule, experience, safety measures specific to site risks and quality of bid preparation. SEAPA staff selected the three lowest bids for closer review with BAM being the first to be eliminated narrowing the pool to IMCO and Pacific Pile.
“Right off the top there’s over $500,000 difference just in the mobilization and support services,” said SEAPA special projects director Eric Wolfe. “That’s the biggest chunk and then there are some obvious things where Pacific Pile was more expensive.”
SEAPA sent IMCO and Pacific Pile a list of additional questions asking for specifics about details not addressed during the initial bid process, like how concrete will be removed from sidewalls and where materials used in the project come from.
“With that we came to the conclusion that IMCO knew its business,” Wolfe said. “And we are happy to supply a bid that’s slightly under the engineer’s estimate.”
The contract with contingencies for additions and completion bonus will not exceed $5,014,278.
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