BACKGROUND:

The Pillar Point Harbor Johnson Pier is a very active commercial fishing hub, which along with fishing vessel dockage, has three District tenant fish buying operations at the terminus. The fish buying operations facilitate the movement of catch being offloaded from vessels to the trucks so the catch can be transported to processing facilities.

The equipment necessary, e.g., squid pumps, hoists, etc., have significant electrical needs, which the current infrastructure cannot accommodate. Therefore, the fish buyers have had to supplement with large diesel generators. In an effort to provide the necessary electrical capacity, the District hired a design/engineering firm, Moffat and Nichol (M&N), to create technical specifications and acquire the necessary permitting in order to upgrade the pier electric systems.

The goal of this project is to increase the electrical capacity and stability that serves the 3 fish buyers on Johnson Pier and to maintain the electric capacity to the Fuel Dock. M&N design engineers have been communicating with the tenant fish buyers ever since starting the design in 2019, to get their input on preferred voltage, location of new equipment and to update them on the status of the project.  

Pursuant to a publicly advertised Invitation for Bid, on June 12, 2024 the Board approved the low bid for construction proposed by Andreini Bros. Inc. for 1,227,600, with a 10% contingency, bringing the total previously amount approved on June 12, 2024 to $1,350,360.  

There were no as-built drawings (“single lines” or wiring diagrams) of the existing electrical system at Johnson Pier at the start of the project. Early in the project, a senior electrical engineer from District’s design team, M&N, and a third-party electrician hired by M&N, performed a site visit to make observations of the electrical installation and they concluded that the existing service was 120/240-volt 1phase. The design proceeded accordingly. The project was finally bid and awarded for construction. When the awarded construction contractor made detailed observations inside the electrical equipment, they discovered that the service was actually 120/240 volt 3 phase. At this point, the Fish Buyer tenants were asked again if they needed the 1 phase or 3 phase, they all believed that their future needs would require 3 phase. Therefore, the decision was made to redesign the new service to provide 3 phase. 

Providing the needed additional power created the need for significant upgrades and switchgear cabinet replacement which resulted in the attached contractor’s Change Order Request for $203,452.30, which is $80,692.30 over the previously approved project construction contingency amount. Staff also wish the Board to consider an additional new $100,000 construction contingency to be approved by the General Manager should future unforeseen issues arise.

Staff consulted with the Director of Administrative Services and the requested increase can be funded by available Working Capital and will be incorporated into the 2025/26 budget upon approval.

The project awarded General Contractor originally submitted this Change Order to reflect a 15% mark-up for their electrical sub-contractor. After Board direction for staff to re-negotiate this 15% mark-up at the July 16th Board meeting, the General Contractor revised the Change Order dollar amount to reflect a 10% mark-up, resulting in a $9,2448.17 Change Order cost reduction.

LATEST UPDATES:

UPDATES:

August 20, 2025

Board approve Johnson Pier terminus electrical construction change order. The construction is ongoing, it's expected to be completed in mid October. Mobilization is complete, JP distribution panel ordered and installed.  Feeder/Service reconfiguration is 60% complete, fuel dock distribution panel 60% complete.  fish buyer service feeder 15% complete, fish buyer 480V panelboard 75% complete, revenue grade sub meters 90%, fish buyer service disconnects and associated conduit/wir is 60% complete. 

January 2024

95% Pier Expansion/Dock Replacement plans complete, final permitting underway. 95% plans complete for electrical upgrades and repair crossmember spalling, permitting underway.

May 25, 2022

Board considered a Change Order for M&N to add design/engineering of electrical upgrades and to repair the crossmember spalling that was identified in the GHD condition survey.

February 4, 2022

Moffatt and Nichol submitted 30% plan drawings, General Manager and Director of Operations met with Moffat and Nichol to review.