Port Commission approves two port study proposals

The Port Commission gave its recommendation for the Nome Common Council to fund two studies that should guide the Port of Nome’s future development.

The commission met for a work session to review the proposals last Thursday night. The City of Nome in August solicited bids for both a tariff rate study and analysis and a strategic development plan.

Northern Economics was the only firm to submit a proposal for the rate study. The company initially priced the project at $66,400 but Port Director Joy Baker told the commission she was able to bring down the fee to $58,200. Northern Economics agreed to reduce the cost under a few conditions: The City of Nome will provide historical information in a spreadsheet to help reduce the research burden. The City will also provide a vehicle and lodging for two staff members who plan to visit Nome for the job.

“I think there’s no question about their experience and the qualifications of their staff,” said Baker. The company completed the port’s last rate study, in 2013.

When asked if there would be any opportunities for public input during the study, Baker said, yes. In the proposal, Northern Economics said it would plan to hold a kick-off meeting in Nome. “The purpose of the kick-off meeting will be to introduce staff, confirm study goals and objectives, review available data, discuss additional data needs, review the schedule for meetings and deliverables, and establish communication channels,” the proposal said.

Strategic development plan

Two bids were submitted for the strategic development plan. A proposal from the Las Vegas-based company Wise Business Plans LLC had a price tag of $48,750 but scored low on Baker’s evaluation (55 percent out of 100) because the company did not make a great effort to show it knew the landscape in Nome or Alaska.

“To me, they eliminated themselves,” Baker said.

Meanwhile, a higher-scoring bid from PND Engineers had a hefty price attached: $224,000.

Baker explained that PND in its proposal was envisioning something like the waterfront master plan that the City of Valdez adopted in 2020. PND’s work on that project included extensive consultations with the local community, according to the ports and harbors director of the City of Valdez, who submitted a letter of recommendation for PND.

Baker was able to get the total price tag of the project down to $211,090, and PND proposed to complete the project in three separately funded parts.

Phase A would cost $53,625 and involve a kick-off meeting, coordination meetings, economic review, background data collection, and the first two in a series of open meetings to collect community feedback. At the end of this phase, around February 2024, PND said it would provide a summary report of current conditions, economic opportunities, and preliminary development options along with community feedback.

“This is a good piece to bite off,” Baker said, adding that she thought it was a safe plan for the City to move forward with, allowing them to find funds for the next two phases of the project.

Phase B would cost $86,606 and involve more open meetings and additional fine-tuning of development options in an updated report that should be ready by spring 2024.

Phase C, costing $70,859, would cover the development of a final draft report to be presented during an online meeting in summer 2024.

In a special meeting after the work session, the commissioners were unanimous in recommending Northern Economics and PND be awarded contracts.

PND’s contract for now would only cover its work for Phase A.

Commissioners Jim West, Charlie Lean, Russell Rowe, Derek McLarty and Shane Smithhisler were present.