Archer Western-Alberici JV Wins Mid-Barataria Contract

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) has selected the Archer Western-Alberici Joint Venture to provide Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR) services for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project.

According to CPRA, the CMAR model integrates the construction contractor during the early design phase of the project to obtain input on cost, scheduling and constructability, which is anticipated to lead to lower costs and faster construction.

“The CMAR model in Louisiana involves two contracts: a Pre-Construction Phase contract and Construction Phase contract. With this selection, CPRA recommends the award of the Pre-Construction Phase contract to Archer Western-Alberici, which is valued at $13.8 million,” said CPRA in its official release.

The scope of this contract includes participation in the design process of the project.  Once the design is complete, CPRA will negotiate a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of construction with the Archer Western-Alberici.  If negotiations are successful, the Construction Phase contract will then be awarded for the agreed upon GMP.

The selection committee received four proposals from prominent national firms that all have a strong Louisiana presence, CPRA said.

“All four firms were well qualified, but what set apart Archer Western-Alberici is their depth of personnel expertise and experience as a CMAR contractor,” said CPRA Executive Director Michael Ellis. 

“The state is confident that the Archer Western-Alberici team will provide the experience and skills necessary to construct this historically significant coastal restoration project, one of the largest CMAR projects ever implemented in the Gulf Coast region.”

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will provide sediment, water, and nutrients from the Mississippi River to the Barataria Basin in order to build, maintain, and sustain wetlands.

This complements the billions of dollars that have been and will be invested in coastal protection and restoration projects, such as marsh creation, ridge restoration, and barrier island restoration projects, along with shoreline and other structural protection projects, said CPRA.

The project will be located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, along the west bank of the Mississippi River, just north of Ironton and south of the Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery, near Mississippi River Mile 61.