Arens project receives a bid

It appears the Arens Field fuel project will continue to move forward, after the board of aviation received a bid for the improvement project.

On July 21, one bid was received from Sparling Corp. from Romulus, Michigan.

Arens Field manager Bud Widner said the bid was a little higher than anticipated, so some minor changes will be made such as instead of stainless steel it will be painted steel and a portion of the concrete will be eliminated.

Widner said Mark Schillington, of Woolpert, who is engineering the project, will speak with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the changes of the project.

“It looks like the project is going to go forward,” Widner said. “Our funding part is all in place. The grant money is from the FAA fees. It’s not tax money.”

This is the second time the aviation board has received bids for the project. The first bid opening was a bust as no bids were received on July 29.

The project includes installing a 5,000-gallon, above-ground fuel storage tank. The base bid of the project was to include the design, permitting, installation, testing and personnel training of a complete Avgas aviation fuel system and fittings. Two additives were also a part of the bid specification.

The first additive includes the design, permitting, installation, testing and airport personnel training of a complete Jet A aviation fuel system including a 5,000-gallon, above-ground fuel storage tank and fittings.

The second additive to the project includes aviation fuel system site security improvements such as concrete guard posts, chain link security fencing and security lights. The work could also include the removal of an existing sidewalk and construction of a cement fuel delivery access drive.

An aviation board meeting was scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. to discuss the bid.