DATE: November 5, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Public Works Department
TITLE: PUBLIC WORKS AGREMENT WITH BELLINGHAM MARINE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF R AND S DOCKS IN THE OCEANSIDE HARBOR MARINA
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the Harbor District Board of Directors approve a Public Works Agreement (PWA) to Bellingham Marine Industries Inc. (BMI), in the amount of $3,358,701, for the full replacement of R and S Docks in the Oceanside Harbor Marina, including fabrication, installation, electrical drawings, fire suppression lines, permitting, and inspections; approve BMI as a sole source; appropriate $2,136,285 from the Harbor Unrestricted Fund Balance; and authorize the City Manager, or designee to execute the agreement upon receipt of all supporting documents; and authorize the Financial Services Director, or designee, to execute the purchase order.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Oceanside Harbor District has identified the replacement of R and S Docks as a priority capital improvement project. Both docks have reached the end of their service life and require complete replacement to maintain safe, functional, and modern marina facilities.
BMI has designed and built all of the existing docks in the Oceanside Harbor. All the parts that are necessary to maintain and repair the docks within the Harbor are also built by BMI. Harbor staff expertise in repair and maintenance is based on the existing BMI design. All of the docks in the harbor are constructed using the BMI Unifloat® dock design. BMI is the sole-source supplier for this type of float. If another type of floating dock was used, the existing Unifloat® docks would require extensive modifications to connect to another type of dock. Staff has determined that the new R and S dock system should be designed and built by BMI so that parts, service and maintenance can be efficiently and economically handled by Harbor personnel.
Both these docks are being planned with a dry line fire suppression system at this time. Harbor staff are currently working with the Fire Department to determine the need for a wet line fire suppression system in future dock designs, including the previously constructed J Dock. Once that decision has been made, should R & S Docks need to have a wet fire suppression system, those modifications can be made later as a contract change order to this contract or as a new contract. Those design changes in the future would not have any additional costs compared to including them now as part of this contract. Any additional construction-related costs would likely be associated with installing the necessary supply line from the nearest available water source.
Under the original project concept contemplated by staff, BMI would fabricate the docks while Harbor Maintenance personnel would complete installation. That approach was estimated to cost $1,470,614. Since that time, the scope of work has changed. BMI has proposed a turn-key contract to deliver the entire project, which includes:
- Fabrication and installation of R and S Docks
- Disassembly and removal of old docks
- Preparation of electrical system drawings
- Installation of fire suppression lines
- Management of permitting and inspections
- Delivery of complete, code-compliant docks
This revised scope ensures comprehensive project management and reduces risk to the Harbor District by consolidating responsibility with an experienced dock builder. Additionally, it frees Harbor Maintenance personnel to remain focused on other priority maintenance needs throughout the Harbor. Finally, if Harbor staff installed each dock, the work would span over two years. BMI projects installation to be complete in as little as one year, cutting down on inconvenience and disruption of our Slip Renters and Harbor visitors.
FISCAL IMPACT
The PWA with Bellingham in the amount of $3,358,701 will be charged to the accounts listed in the table below. Staff is requesting to use reserves in the amount of $2,186,285 from the Harbor Unrestricted Fund Balance to the accounts listed below to make up the difference needed for the PWA within the Capital Improvement project accounts. The Harbor Unrestricted Fund Balance has an available balance of $8,466,016; therefore, sufficient funds are available.
|
Description |
Available Balance |
Appropriate |
Account |
Funding Source |
Available Balance |
|
R Dock $1,940,930 |
$511,315 |
$1,429,615 |
910193224751.5703.10600 R Dock |
751.3100.0002 Harbor Unrestricted Fund Balance |
$8,466,016 |
|
S Dock $1,417,771 |
$661,101 |
$756,670 |
910193024751.5703.10600 S Dock |
|
|
|
$3,358,701 |
$1,172,416 |
$2,186,285 |
Total |
|
|
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Harbor and Beaches Advisory Committee (HBAC) were informed of the proposed replacement of R and S Docks at their meeting on October 20, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Joe Ravitch, Harbor Division Manager
Reviewed by: Hamid Bahadori, Public Works Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Public Works Agreement
3. Cost Breakdown
4. Proposal
5. Sole Source Justification