Port of Nome Modification Project Returns with Scaled Down Phasing

The US Military Corps of Engineers is once more in search of bids for the opening part of the Port of Nome Modification Mission months after the preliminary procurement effort was canceled as a consequence of unexpectedly excessive bids for the work. The three-phase venture is meant to enlarge the outer basin of Nome Harbor whereas creating
the nation’s first Arctic deep-water port.

The unique opening part on the three-phase venture known as for an extension of the West Causeway by roughly 3,500 linear ft—together with 2,000 ft of open cell sheet pile dock face—into the deep-water basin with 22-ton armor stone. Corps officers have slimmed down the scope of labor and the up to date solicitation, dubbed Part 1A, now options 1,200 ft of causeway extensions, 600 ft of recent open cell sheet pile dock and 18-ton armor stone, all with removing of the prevailing spur breakwater. 

“The unique full construct out of the unique West Causeway design stays our goal,” the USACE says in a press release. “Nevertheless, we’re pushing forward with a brand new part of the venture which we’re calling Part 1A.”

A  corps spokesperson tells ENR {that a} future Part 1B will present the complete construct out of the West Causeway extension.

The Part 1A venture, which is out for solicitation now with an April 14 deadline, has an anticipated award date of Aug. 22. The USACE expects the venture to vary between $250 million and $500 million, down from the marketed $662 million for the primary part that turned out to be too low to proceed.

The variety of bids and their quantities within the preliminary spherical, which was canceled on Oct. 16, 2024, weren’t disclosed. On the time, the company mentioned it was “incorrect to say that the federal government estimate was unrealistically low,” fairly that bids got here in larger than anticipated. With about 90% of the venture funding from the federal authorities and the remaining 10% from the town of Nome, authorities procurement legal guidelines bar accepting contracts 25% over the price estimate.

The revised solicitation reduces the rock dimension from 22 tons to 18 tons, a part of the cost-saving measures. The USACE Alaska District says in a press release that it has a excessive degree of confidence that the Port of Nome Modification design will probably be resilient to future local weather situations, even with the change, and that venture design and local weather change issues have been included in accordance with present pointers.

Revised Timeline

A metropolis of Nome spokesperson instructed ENR it doesn’t have a proper assertion on the rebid, however mentioned the town is wanting ahead to the venture award in summer time 2025 with area building beginning in spring 2026.

A venture partnership between the federal and native authorities was signed in January 2024, with the unique plan to award a contract in late summer time 2024 and begin building in spring 2025. The delay in 2024 has pushed the beginning date again about one yr.

In accordance with the brand new wording within the solicitation, the venture is predicted to take 1,370 days from the discover to proceed. The design-bid-build venture is a firm-fixed value contract, and the procurement course of will use a finest worth tradeoff choice process, contemplating the worth and non-price elements.

As a part of the Part 1A venture, the 1,200-long extension to the prevailing causeway will function layered combination and rock embankment protected by 18-ton armor stone. The causeway extension will incorporate a 30-ft-wide street floor and embrace a 600-ft-long open cell sheet pile dock. The venture nonetheless requires the removing of the 250-ft-long spur breakwater and present 22-ton armor stone and B-rock underlayer on the nostril of the causeway. It’s attainable that the contractor can select to reuse rocks from the spur breakwater.

The venture will allow the port, often known as Nome Harbor, to deal with extra vessels at any given time and improve harbor depth from 22 ft to 40 ft, adequate to adequately accommodate a spread of vessels for commerce, tourism and nationwide safety.

Serving as a regional hub centrally situated on Alaska’s western coast, the Port of Nome was created in 1917 on the Seward Peninsula, adjoining to Norton Sound. It’s situated 545 miles northwest of Anchorage and has no entry to main Alaska street techniques. Authorities officers consider that Nome, with a inhabitants of three,500, gives foundational significance to the viability of surrounding communities. The port additionally gives a launching level for vessels heading into Bering Strait delivery lanes.

A 40-ft deep-water basin permits the port to accommodate each U.S. army ship smaller than an plane service. Nome Mayor John Handeland had beforehand mentioned the U.S. has lengthy wanted a deep-water port to permit resupply and refueling providers to the nationwide safety fleet working within the Arctic.