Port awards up to $40 million Jacobs contract to guide Waterfront Resilience Program

The Port Commission authorized a five-year program advisory contract to Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., not to exceed $40,000,000, to support the Waterfront Resilience Program (WRP). Port staff said the contract will provide strategic program advisory, technical services, environmental and regulatory support, coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), finance and legislative assistance, and workforce development services tied to Proposition A-funded work on the Seawall and waterfront resilience efforts.

Staff described a robust procurement and evaluation process: an RFP issued in June 2025, targeted outreach to local business enterprises (LBEs), two pre-proposal conferences, multiple Q&A cycles, and a scored evaluation that included references, written proposals and oral interviews. Port staff said they received a single responsive proposal from Jacobs with a diverse team of 39 subcontractors. The Jacobs proposal commits 26.6% of the contract value to LBEs, exceeding the 20% LBE subcontracting requirement for the contract.

Port staff noted the task-order structure of the contract to allow distinct task negotiations, performance measures and reporting requirements per work order. Staff also confirmed that the contract, once approved by the commission, will proceed to the Board of Supervisors as required and that the Prop A Seawall bond will be the funding source for WRP work.

Commissioners asked about performance measures and compliance oversight; staff said task orders include reporting requirements and that each task will be negotiated and tracked separately. After questions and no public comment, the commission moved, seconded and unanimously approved the authorization. Staff said subsequent task orders and amendments will return to the commission as appropriate and that the contract will support near-term flood study milestones and partnership work with USACE.