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Algiers Barge Replacement-Contract Award (IFB 2026-007)
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DESCRIPTION: Requesting board authorization to award a construction contract for the manufacture and installation of two (2) Algiers Ferry barges to CDW Services LLC
AGENDA NO: Click or tap here to enter text.
ACTION REQUEST:
? Approval ? Review Comment ? Information Only ? Other
RECOMMENDATION:
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Authorize the Interim Chief Executive Officer to execute a contract with CDW Services LLC in the amount of $11,780,000 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Algiers Barge Replacement project (IFB 2026-007).
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ISSUE/BACKGROUND:
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The Algiers Barge Replacement project is a critical component of RTA's ongoing efforts to improve passenger ferry infrastructure for both the Algiers Point and Chalmette ferries. The Canal Street Ferry Terminal and Canal Street Barge were both completed in 2023, and the Algiers Ferry Terminal is currently under renovation with an anticipated substantial completion date at the end of 2026. These projects, including the new Algiers barges, are improving operational efficiency, the safety and comfort of ferry staff, and the quality, comfort, and convenience of the rider experience.
The two barges that will be replaced-one at Algiers Point and the other in Lower Algiers-have exceeded their useful life. The FTA prescribed "useful life benchmark" for steel-built ferry infrastructure is 25 years. The approximate age of the current barges is 50 years. As capital assets exceed their useful life, the cost to maintain them increases substantially; their reliability decreases; and they typically fail to comply with modern codes and best practices. In the case of these two barges, the hull at Algiers Point is in poor condition; the mooring system at Lower Algiers would require a major overhaul to continue operations; both barges have numerous leaks and have to be pumped out often; and electrical components at Algiers Point are beyond the poi...
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