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Assembly hears report on Kodiak Fisheries Research Center pumps; DXP contract delayed while staff pursues lower quotes
Summary
Assembly staff reported significant corrosion and failures in KFRC seawater pumps, reviewed a high DXP quote that rose to $104,665 per pump, and removed a contract from the agenda while staff pursues alternatives and schedules an Alaska Industrial Pump inspection on April 1.
Staff told the assembly that the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center (KFRC) has experienced significant corrosion and failures in seawater pump assemblies supplied in 2019, causing operational interruptions for tenants that rely on steady seawater flow for experiments.
The borough received an initial DXP Alaska Pump and Supply quote dated Jan. 31, 2025, of $99,446 for a pump assembly; a follow‑up, itemized quote dated Feb. 18 increased that amount by $5,219 to $104,665 per pump (quote includes pre‑shipping cost; additional shipping time applies). Staff warned that tariffs and supply‑chain issues could further increase prices and reported lead times of about 20 weeks.
After on‑island inspections, staff said two of the four pumps (numbers 3 and 4, in the shallow well and used as backups) are out of operation and that two complete pump assemblies likely will be required. Staff obtained at least one alternative, lower quote from Alaska Industrial Pump (contact arranged through the SeaLife Center), and is still awaiting a quote from GLM Energy LLC of Anchorage to meet procurement code requirements for multiple quotes.
Because of the urgency, staff indicated they intended to use open procurement under an emergency exception rather than go out to a full bid, and they also discussed buying critical spares to avoid long lead times in the future. Alaska Industrial Pump is scheduled to visit the island on April 1 to review the pump house and provide an independent opinion at no charge.
Given the new information and the existence of lower alternative quotes, the assembly removed contract FY2025‑49 (KFRC C pump assembly replacements from DXP Alaska Pump and Supply) from the agenda to allow staff to pursue alternative vendors and gather additional quotes. The clerk confirmed the item was removed at the meeting.
Staff discussed other operational findings at KFRC: the deep/shallow well design (pumps 3 and 4) lacks the same bypass and monitoring that well 1 has, leaving tenants exposed when the backups are used as de facto main pumps. Staff said correcting monitoring and adding bypass capability are part of the longer‑term fix alongside pump replacement. The borough also noted it may be eligible to use R&R (repair & replacement) funds for 75.3% of the building's share of the cost when applicable.
