Port hires firm to manage DOT grant for new maintenance facility and repairs

The Port of Olympia has chosen the administrator of a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Administration that will be used to support various construction projects at the marine terminal.

On Monday, July 10, the Port of Olympia Commission authorized Acting Executive Director Rudy Rudolph to execute a consultant agreement with infrastructure firm Moffatt & Nichol to help the Port implement the grant.

The contract has a not-to-exceed amount of $780,670 and runs through the end of 2026.

The grant would finance three specific projects:

• Repair of Berth 1
• Repaving of 22 acres of surface at the marine terminal
• Construction of a new maintenance facility

Beyond grant administration, Moffatt & Nichol would also provide project management and assist with meetings, engineering, environmental review, permitting, and competitive bidding.

The firm’s contract amount is 6% of the total project cost, according to Port Capital Assets Program Manager James Sommer, who added that the Port could apply for pre-award funding before the DOT grant agreement is executed to cover the initial expenses towards the firm’s compensation.

Moffatt & Nichol was the only firm to submit a proposal when the Port issued a request for qualifications for the project on April 7. The firm has various teams that are already working with the Port, specifically for the Budd Inlet remediation project.

The grant is for a total amount of $9,270,919. Berth 1 repair would cost $1,738,802, paving would cost $8,886,008, and the new maintenance facility would cost $1,736,415. The grant requires a 25% match from the Port, amounting to $3,090,306.

The funding comes from DOT’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, which supports coastal seaports, inland river ports, and Great Lakes ports. The program seeks to improve the county’s supply chain while addressing concerns about the climate crisis and environmental justice.