Telesource gets $17-M Tinian airport rehab contract

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has formally decided to award the contract for the construction of the new $17-million West Tinian International Airport runway to Telesource CNMI, Inc., which offered the lowest bid among six companies that proposed to carry out the project.

The Federal Aviation Administration has recently concurred with the ports authority’s decision to award the contract for the project to Telesource at $16.9 million for the 8,600-linear-foot Tinian airport runway.

“Your bid offer for the Alternative Bid Project of $16,949,105 is being accepted by CPA as the contract amount. CPA has reviewed the bid proposal documents submitted by Telesource CNMI, Inc. and has found the bid proposal to be responsive,” said Executive Director Carlos H. Salas.

The contract will be formally signed by CPA and Telesource officials during the scheduled groundbreaking ceremony on Tinian on September 22, 2000.

Mr. Salas stressed that the ports authority is satisfied that Telesource is qualified to perform the work on the project, in accordance with the Plans and Technical Specifications.

“This project marks a momentous occasion in the economic development of Tinian,” the CPA official told Mr. Semikian in a September 13,2000 letter to Telesource president Khajadour J. Semikian.

CPA solicited two separate invitations for the project; one encompassed the construction of a 7,800 linear-foot asphalt concrete runway and the other was for an 8,600 linear-foot runway, according to Board Chair Roman S. Palacios.

The ports authority has made about $17 million in total funds available for the West Tinian International Airport improvement project, almost half of which were sourced out of FAA grants.

FAA has provided about $13.5 million in total financing for the West Tinian International Airport expansion project, while the balance has been pledged by members of the Tinian Legislative Delegation through the island’s Capital Improvement Project funds.

The project will be carried out according to the specifications stated under the Alternative Bid which calls for the construction of an 8,600-linear-foot runway, two 600 linear-foot taxiways, one 200 linear-foot partial taxiway; and the conversion of the existing 6,000 linear-foot runway to a parallel taxiway.

It will also include the construction of 2,296 linear-foot parallel taxiway connecting to Runway 26 and rerouting 4,400 linear-foot of 8th Avenue, which will form part of the proposed 7,600 linear-foot runway.

The new runway will be constructed parallel north of the existing runway which will be transformed into a taxiway.

The construction of a new runway is part of the original West Tinian International Airport rehabilitation plan. CPA previously changed the plan by proposing to instead extend the existing runway which FAA opposed.

Also included in the basic and alternative bids are all drainage, guidance signage, taxiway and runway edge lighting, rotating beacon, beacon tower, approach and identifier lights, and other roadway works.