The City of Devine is accepting bids for the construction of a 100 low-lead fuel farm at the Devine Municipal Airport after voting unanimously to proceed with the project during the City Council meeting July 16.
Grayson Cox of KSA Engineering, Inc., presented the finished plans at the meeting and pegged the estimated construction cost at $349,300, which includes a 15 percent contingency.
Bids for the project are scheduled to be opened on August 13 at City Hall.
“Not a whole lot of entities do fuel farms,” Cox said. “More than likely we’re going to get some concrete contractors bid on this, and then they will sub out the fuel part of it, and so the cost for the fuel system really just all depends on how busy everyone is and what’s available.”
The self-dispensing 100LL fuel farm features a 12,000 gallon steel double-wall tank with pump, motor, fuel dispenser, and card reader mounted on a skid, which will then be placed on a concrete foundation with curbs, bollards, sump, and an apron.
Cox said the most likely scenario included a wait between the construction of the concrete foundation and the delivery of the fuel system.
“The good news is that we do actually have a company now in Texas that builds these things,” Cox said. “Before, we would get them all from Florida, and it would take anywhere between three and six months to have them delivered.”
Councilman David Espinosa asked if fencing was going to be installed at the airport.
“Not so much around the fuel tank, but to eliminate anybody just driving onto the field,” Espinosa said. “Is that something that [the contractors] would do, or is that something we have to consider?”
Cox said that fencing wasn’t included in the scope of the project but could be looked at, though it would increase the cost.
“That is something that TxDot does do a lot, is fencing around airports,” Cox said. “Especially if you’ve ever had incursions, whether that’s human or wildlife or whatever.”
The project’s scope does include two days of training on the operation and maintenance of the fuel farm for airport staff.
A motion by Councilmen Espinosa and Steve Lopez to allow Cox to proceed with the project passed 4-0 with the backing of Councilman Cory Thompson and Councilwoman Jennifer Schott.
Councilman David Valdez was absent.
Council initially voted to sell fuel at the airport in a meeting on March 5, 2018, and entered into a contract with KSA for the project on November 20, 2018. KSA’s design, bid, and construction administration and closeout fees were set at $76,141.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer