This is a planning project at the port of harlingen to conduct an infrastructure assessment market analysis and environmental analysis develop a capital improvement plan and update the ports 2019…

The Port of Harlingen Authority received a $945,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (CFDA 20.823) on July 14, 2025, with completion scheduled for November 30, 2027. This planning project will deliver a comprehensive infrastructure assessment, market analysis, and environmental analysis of the Port of Harlingen, culminating in a capital improvement plan and updated master plan. The grant supports grant management and administration activities alongside detailed asset management planning that includes baseline and design-level infrastructure assessments, in-water inspections where necessary, conceptual repair designs with rough order of magnitude cost estimates, and implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) database utilizing ArcGIS technology for asset tracking and management.

The deliverables include detailed condition assessments of structural elements, identification of deteriorated areas through visual and tactile examination, design-level evaluations focusing on typical weakness points such as connections and welds, and GIS-based web and mobile applications for field data collection management. These planning outputs will support both the capital improvement plan development and potential future grant applications, enabling the Port of Harlingen to systematically plan facility upgrades and prioritize infrastructure investments to enhance port safety, efficiency, and operational reliability.

This is a planning project at the port of harlingen to conduct an infrastructure assessment market analysis and environmental analysis develop a capital improvement plan and update the ports 2019 master plan. Activities to be performed component 1 grant management and administration. Oversee project report progress control the project budget and ensure project schedule compliance. Component 2 asset management planning. Element 1 infrastructure assessment. Baseline assessment assess the general overall condition of the facility verify that the facility was built according to available design drawings and assign condition assessment ratings for the inspected infrastructure. Close visual examination or general tactile examination of a representative sample of structural elements where visibility is limited to detect obvious major damage or deterioration due to overstress or other severe deterioration. Utilize a port provided topographic survey and underground utility information as a base for tracking the information obtained. Design level assessment. The design level assessment effort will focus on typical areas of weakness such as connections attachment points and welds and is intended to detect and identify damaged and deteriorated areas that may be hidden by surface treatments or corrosion or that may not be readily accessible for a baseline assessment inspection effort. In water inspections where necessary. Conceptual design for the potential repairs necessary to address any deficiencies established with the design level assessment. A rough order of magnitude ROM estimate will be prepared for the conceptual design to support the capital improvement plan and master plan update, as well as potential future grant applications. Element 2 GIS database arcgis system implementation and administration. Arcgis online subscription will be owned by the port. GIS database configuration, web & mobile GIS application development & field data collection management. GIS database configuration based on infrastructure assessment findings. Data publishing to arcgis online and web viewer configuration. Mobile GIS application development and deployment. Element 3 market and trade lane analysis conduct a regional market analysis focusing on existing trade lanes to identify potential markets that can take advantage of the ports location and assets connecting to a larger regional supply chain system. Develop a reasonable and high level projection of cargoes by type and volume to highlight potential revenues based on existing industrial and commercial rates applicable to the region. Conduct a review of existing and publicly available market studies and reports together with interviews of port tenants and likely new users of the port. Element 4 master plan update business goals objectives reestablish the ports business drivers prior to discussing site changes. Some topics include but are not limited to impacts on existing operations. Timelines associated with site growth. Anticipated staffing capacity requirements. Regulatory issue identification. Potential efficiencies. Existing conditions understand and document existing conditions to include the size location and adjacencies for major functional elements. General site flows of material equipment personnel and waste at the site. Observations based on a review of any existing master plan documentation and facility tours. List of issues to be addressed and or resolved through the master plan or the capital improvement plan. Sites major systems and components mechanical and electrical for reliability capacity and utilization understanding. Fleeting area analysis to review opportunities for barge fleeting areas along the existing channel. Establish growth criteria establish agreed upon objective growth criteria. For example cost capital expenditure forecast scenarios. Logistics site flow storage. Industry definition impacts on surroundings master plan options. Develop design scenarios year by year or as defined during the kickoff alignment session. Applying data from previous steps will help determine the impact of various proposed options. Compare options and select for refinement using a scoring process which will lead to the selection of one potential improvement option for further development and documentation. Implementation phased the selected option will represent the final form of a potential site expansion and or realignment. Develop a phased implementation plan including an ROM opinion of cost. Master plan documentation the updated master plan will capture any outcome findings and solutions and is intended to be a living document. The document will include the outcome of the results of the infrastructure assessment market analysis capital improvements plan CIP environmental analysis and grant roadmap into a central document. Element 5 CIP development best practices and benchmarks identify best practices for CIP data collection monitoring and communications to establish ongoing support for capital improvements planning. Convene a CIP working group of port employees to review and refine best practices and establish performance benchmarks. Needs assessment and project identification create standardized capital project submittal forms to support the establishment of a project catalog. Meet with the working group to validate project data and start to form priorities and map project locations. Strategic analysis and prioritization identify strategic capital priorities based on the updated master plan and create a project evaluation metric based on strategic priorities. Meet with the working group to review and assess projects based on project evaluation metrics. Conduct public engagement to solicit feedback and to provide information on capital priorities and projects. Develop a website to provide information to the public about the CIP process priorities and projects. Capital funds assessment identify all capital funding and revenue sources as well as grant opportunities and other external sources of funds. Evaluate annual capacity for capital spending over the initial five year period. Cipidentify prioritized projects for the initial five year period and appropriate funds or revenue sources. Develop a draft CIP including project catalog strategic analysis funds assessment projections five year program and ongoing performance benchmarks and communications. Review a draft CIP with the CIP working group. Present draft CIP for public comment and adoption by port leadership. Element 6 environmental analysis and community involvement identify the anticipated environmental review and permitting requirements for the critical projects established in the CIP and incorporate any impacts to the project development schedule. The implementation of the updated master plan improvements with the CIP and any required nepa process will include community engagement and public involvement as needed. Deliverables expected outcomes there are no performance measures as IT is a planning project. Intended beneficiary port of harlingen authority. Subrecipient activities none.