Nearly a year

after leak was discovered, port board approves $190,000 contract.

After the lowest bid did not pass muster, the Port of Bremerton Board of Commissioners last week approved accepting the middle bid for repair work on the Port Orchard Marina’s diesel fuel tank, which has been out of commission since last summer.

“In June, it will have been a year (that the tank has been out of commission),” said Steve Slaton, the port’s director of marine facilities.

Ten months ago, an inspection revealed that the marina’s 12,000-gallon, diesel fuel tank had sprung a leak.

At the time, Slaton said his staff was alerted to the leak between the tank’s inner and outer walls, and there was no evidence that any fuel had leaked into the ground.

On April 2, Slaton said his staff opened three bids on the repair work ranging from $116,000 to $258,000.

However, he said problems soon surfaced with the lowest bidder.

“The certification required to work on underground fuel tanks is quite extensive, and an investigation revealed that the site supervisor for the lowest bidder was not certified for this type of repair,” Slaton said, adding that there was a “number of valid reasons” not to award the contract to that company.

In contrast, he said the middle bidder’s package was “excellent,” and that the company, Saybr Contractors, Inc., has an excellent track record and experience with these types of repairs.

However, Commissioner Larry Stokes said he was concerned about the large disparity between the three bids, pointing out that while the lowest was $116,000, the middle was $190,000, and the highest was $258,000.

“That’s a spread of 200 percent,” Stokes said, asking if staff had taken his suggestion of contacting Roger Jensen, whom he described as an expert in such repairs that was willing to take a look (at the project and bids) at no cost.

“Are we absolutely sure we advertised the project in the proper way?”

“Absolutely,” Slaton responded, and Commissioner Bill Mahan added, “I am confident that Steve has (conducted the search appropriately).”

When Stokes said again that he would like Jensen to “take a look at the project,” port Chief Executive Officer Ken Attebery said he “would be happy to sit down with Roger Jensen.”

Mahna, Stokes and Commissioner Cheryl Kincer then voted unanimously to allow Attebery to move forward on the repair project.

This contract follows another the port reached last August with URS Corporation, a consultant Slaton recommended hiring to oversee the tank’s repair because of the numerous regulations and requirements surrounding underground storage tanks.

A contract with URS totaling $47,600 was approved by Kincer and Mahan for URS to provide “engineering, environmental and project management services for the PO Marina diesel fuel tank replacement.”