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Committee advances airport projects: network switch replacements, Gate 11 bridge bid and hazardous-site cleanup
Summary
The Bangor City Finance Committee approved purchases and contract recommendations for several airport projects: bulk purchase of Extreme Networks switches, Benchmark Construction as low bidder for a Gate 11 boarding bridge replacement, and awarding the Alert Building hazardous cleanup option to haul contaminated water off-site to the low qualified bidder.
The Bangor City Finance Committee approved several airport-related procurements, including purchase of 25 network switches, advancing the low bid for a Gate 11 passenger boarding bridge, and recommending a hazardous-materials cleanup contractor for the Alert Building at the airport.
Staff recommended purchasing 25 Extreme Networks switches for the airport and Cross Center from Harbor Networks of Framingham, Massachusetts. The committee was told the city had used Dell switches for more than 20 years; Dell stopped supporting the units in early 2022 and the IT department selected Extreme Networks switches after testing. Buying 25 units in bulk from Harbor Networks would cost $92,076 (about $3,700 per switch), a savings compared with an estimated typical per-switch price of roughly $8,000. Staff emphasized that Harbor Networks is the manufacturer-recommended seller in the region and provides aftermarket service and on-site support as needed.
On airport infrastructure, staff reported that the Gate 11 passenger boarding bridge replacement went out to bid and received three proposals; the low bidder was Benchmark Construction at $2,436,844. That project is funded with Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) funds. Committee members asked whether Benchmark had any role in a separate wiring issue; staff responded that the wiring problem was not part of Benchmark’s contract.
For the Alert Building cleanup on airport property, staff said the site was determined to require hazardous cleanup and that bids included options to treat stagnant contaminated water on-site or to haul it off-site for treatment and disposal. Staff explained testing during the bidding process raised concern that on-site treatment might not reduce contamination below allowable standards, which could force double handling and higher cost. For the option to haul and treat water off-site, staff recommended awarding to JE Butler LLC of Brewer, Maine as the lowest qualified bidder. Staff also reported an EPA grant award of $856,000 for the cleanup and said the recommended hauling-and-off-site-treatment proposal came in below that awarded grant amount.
Committee members moved and seconded the staff recommendations to proceed with the purchases and contract awards; the items will proceed to full council as required for final contract approvals.
