Commission recap, 2/25/2025 — New effort could speed grid upgrades, improve project tracking. More...

Thursday, 27 February 2025

Grant PUD’s Enterprise Project Management Office is using a powerful combination of software tools to better track the cost and progress over time of the capital projects they oversee, commissioners learned this week.

The information helps guide business decisions and deliver projects at the highest value. The office is also investigating whether to pursue becoming “self-certified” in “Design Build,” the state’s streamlined bidding, contracting and building process.

Self-certification could reduce timelines even more on projects that include electric system expansion and upgrades. See the full report on pages 2-17 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 13:49 on the commission audio.

Commissioners also:

Heard that quicker action is needed to address and fully resolve many of the potentially hazardous work situations reported by Grant PUD employees over the past year. The Corrective Action Program team screened 370 “condition reports” filed by employees in 2024. These range from icy spots in the parking lot to operational inefficiencies and safety close calls. Of those, approximately 85% of the highest-priority corrective actions are currently listed as overdue, Senior Manager of Operational Excellence Chris Roseburg told commissioners. Department staff is working directly with PUD leaders to bring the total down to their target of less than 25%-- to support their PUD-wide goals to lower costs, reduce lead times, improve safety and reduce risk and waste for overall better customer satisfaction. See the full report on pages 18-29 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 58:02 on the commission audio.
Heard that the Technology team has begun work on a Disaster Recovery Plan that will enable Grant PUD’s computer and other critical technology to get back online faster following a major natural or other disaster. Systems are already protected, Chief Technology Officer Charles Meyer told commissioners. The improvements in an eventual disaster plan could reduce total recovery time from weeks to hours. Learn more about this and other projects and strategies planned for the upcoming year on pages 30-40 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 2:26:09 on the commission audio.
Approved a request to increase an existing contract with Andritz Hydro Corp. by $788,776 for a new contract total of $3.5 million to transport, disassemble and repair the servomotors of the 7^th and 8^th turbine/generator units at Priest Rapids Dam. The work is part of the ongoing unit-upgrade work at the dam. Six of the dam’s 10 units have been rehabbed. This change order will rehab the servomotors for two more units. For more information, see pages 8-21 of the commission packet.
Increased an existing contract with Quanta Infrastructure Solutions Group, LLC, by just over $5.7 million for a new contract total of $110.3 million to fund additional scope of work and labor-rate adjustments on the yet-to-be-completed projects in an 11-project package of electric-system upgrades. Work includes new substations, expansion of existing substations and new transmission lines, carried out under a single, Progressive Design Build contract, referred to as DB2. For more information, see pages 72-95 of the commission packet.
Approved a motion to amend a contract with Real Time Research to increase the not-to-exceed contract amount by $358,401 for a new contract total of $978,845 for continuation of avian predation research activities within the Columbia River Plateau region. For more information, see pages 64-71 of the commission packet.
Voted to approve a list of contractors prequalified to perform electrical work with Grant PUD. The 21 contractors on the list will be eligible to perform work as needed on Grant PUD’s electric system in the 2025 construction year. For more information, see pages 8-21 of the commission packet.
Approved Resolution No. 9078 superseding Resolution No. 6425 to incorporate federal requirements for emergency situations and exigent circumstances. The action will help Grant PUD be more in line with requirements for federal funding. For more information, see pages 22-26 of the commission packet.
Gave the nod to Resolution No. 9079 to supersede Resolution No. 8608 to update information related to delegated purchasing authority limits, to align with federal funding requirements. For more information, see pages 27-33 of the commission packet.
Approved Resolution No. 9080 to supersede resolution No. 8609 establishing to update information related to change order approval limits. This also helps Grant PUD policy align with federal funding requirements. For more information, see pages 34-38 of the commission packet.
Voted to approve Resolution No. 9081 to supersede Resolution No. 8643 to incorporate federal disposition requirements, when applicable, into Grant PUD’s surplus process. For more information, see pages 39-44 of the commission packet.
Voted on Resolution No. 9082 to supersede Resolution No. 8921 and implement Senate Bill 5418, which sets federal procurement requirements, which applies to the purchase of materials, equipment, or supplies over $30,000, but less than $120,000. For more information, see pages 45-51 of the commission packet.