Port center construction contract awarded

Port officials selected the contractor Wednesday that will construct its new Government Operations and Emergency Center with construction set to begin within a couple weeks, Port Executive Director Raymond “Mac” Wade said.
The Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District commission approved awarding the base bid of $7.54 million to M.D. Descant LLC in Bunkie to construct the center, according to the resolution.
The entire project budget is fixed at slightly more than $9.8 million. The project is funded with $7.1 million from the state and a roughly $2.3 million match from the Port of Morgan City. The commission also previously approved an additional $400,000 in port funds to be used, if necessary.
The site for the center is located on La. 182 adjacent to the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. The building can serve as an emergency command center during events such as hurricanes and will also house tenants from governmental agencies on a day-to-day basis.
State officials must approve the construction contract bid, which port officials expect the state to do by the end of next week, Wade said. At that time, the contract will be officially awarded, he said.
On Dec. 14, site mobilization should begin, he said. Port officials will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wade said.
Acadiane Renovations, the contractor for the first phase of work, already completed work to prepare the site for construction, Wade said. The contracted completion date for the center is projected for the middle of October 2015, though Wade hopes to be occupies the center by mid-September to Oct. 1, Wade said.
The district received construction bids Nov. 20 and Architect Carl Blum recommended the award of the contract for this project to the lowest qualified bidder, M.D. Descant LLC the resolution stated.