December 20, 2023
Skagit County Opens Bids for Construction of Guemes Island Electric Ferry
Skagit County has opened the submitted bids for construction of the Guemes Island electric ferry. Initial information regarding the bids is available on the request for proposal index webpage below.
Skagit County Request for Bids
The bid will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder pursuant to RCW 36.77.040, RCW 39.34.234, and RCW 36.34.234, applying the best value criteria established per RCW 36.32.234(3).
Four evaluation categories will be used in applying the best value criteria to identify the proposal best suited to meet the county’s needs. These four categories, listed in order of importance, are:
- Approach, capabilities, and risk
- Cost
- Schedule
- Past performance and quality of references
Staff will review submitted bids according to the four evaluation categories. We anticipate this will take several weeks to complete. Once completed, staff will present a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.
About Skagit County’s Ferry System: Skagit County has operated a vehicle and passenger ferry service between Anacortes and Guemes Island, WA, since the early 1960s. The current vessel, the M/V Guemes, is a 21-vehicle, 99-passenger, diesel-powered ferry that was built and put into service in 1979. Today, the ferry operates 365 days a year and transports roughly 200,000 vehicles and 400,000 passengers annually.
There are no alternative roads or highways that provide access to Guemes Island; as such, the Skagit County ferry system serves as a vital transportation link for its ridership. In addition to transporting commuters, the ferry also carries tourist traffic, construction and logging trucks, essential services trucks, and emergency vehicles and personnel to and from the Island.
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