Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Port Administration has confirmed that two projects for the Airport Division have been awarded to US-based Woolpert, a national architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) company, which announced yesterday in a national news release that the company has been signed to two Port Administration contracts.

One is to evaluate and rehabilitate the primary runway at Pago Pago International Airport and the other is to rehabilitate, reconstruct and possibly extend the runway at Ofu Airport in the Manu’a islands.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Port Administration grants manager, Falenaoti Loi-On Fruean confirmed that the contracts for the two projects were fully signed Aug. 8th, and contract time for each project is 365 days.

“This is the first time Woolpert has contracted directly with ASG,” Fruean explained, adding that, “before they were a sub-contractor under PPG Consultants for the ongoing project AGIS — Airport Geographic Information System for all ASG Airports. This project is 90% complete.”

The Pago Pago International Airport runway project contract is $1 million for design only, while the Ofu Airport contract is $500,00 for Phase 1-Design. Funding is provided by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

For the Pago Pago airport runway project, according to Woolpert, the company will study the pavement infrastructure, perform a condition evaluation, and make recommendations on methods of improvements, materials and phasing of the project, while minimizing disruption to airport operations.

Regarding the Ofu project, Woolpert said the 2,000-foot runway is aging and showing distress, requiring reconstruction and possible extension for safety and increased aeronautical services.

According to Woolpert, the company’s extensive and varied experience with the FAA and teaming with a local firm made Woolpert a good fit for these projects.