OAKLAND—The Port of Oakland has released an addendum to its Request for Qualifications (RFQ), in and effort to solicit bids for a master lessee for the port’s portion of the former Oakland Army Base and other portlands and easements.  The port also issued a draft of the “Exclusive Right to Negotiate Agreement” that the port would enter into with the winning proposer. 

"What we are seeking is a private partner – a master lessee -- who would operate, maintain and potentially redevelop one of the few, large acreage tracts of industrial/transportation-related property within the San Francisco Bay Area today,” said maritime director James Kwon.

In interview with LM, he said, “Inner urban investment offerings in land of this size and location are limited within the San Francisco Bay Area’s mature real estate market.  We recognize the valuable opportunity this represents.”

Lawrence Dunnigan, the port’s manager of business development and International Marketing, told LM  that “this is an exceptional opportunity.”

“The size, location, and configuration of the property is unique within the Oakland seaport area.,” he said. “It also provides the potential to coordinate and interconnect with marine container terminals and intermodal rail facilities, which would maximize cargo throughput and interior point intermodal cargo."

As noted in “Critical Cargoes, “ (“Port of Oakland Gets Creative,” January 22) the bid is for the master operation and maintenance, and long-term design, construction and finance of facilities of approximately 168 acres to support and enhance maritime activity for a term of at least 30years.  Bid submittals must be received by the Port no later than 4 pm Pacific Time on February 27, 2009.  The proposed Master Lease Agreement would begin on or about January 1, 2010.