Picking the company to begin expansion of the Langley Marina is days away after a formal protest in March stalled the Port of South Whidbey from acting.

Pacific Pile and Marine of Seattle filed a formal bid protest against Mike Carlson Enterprises of Anacortes. Both bids were close to the port’s estimated expansion cost of $1.6 million for Phase 1. Mike Carlson Enterprises had the apparent low bid, however, and was poised to receive the contract.

The bid protest halted the process and Port of South Whidbey commissioners scrapped the bids and started over March 20.

Now, almost a month later, the new bids are in. Carlson Enterprises is again the apparent low bidder at $1,590,584.28. Pacific Pile’s bid was $1,684,791.30. Port of South Whidbey commissioners will vote on the bids Tuesday, April 9.

“Unless problems are encountered, staff would expect to ask the commission to make notice of award at the upcoming April 9 commission meeting,” said Ed Field, Port of South Whidbey’s operations manager.

Three other companies filed bids all higher than $1.7 million. Redside Construction submitted the highest bid at almost $2 million. Razz Construction and Orion Marine Group each proposed the work for $1.77 million.

Washington state law requires tax-funded agencies like the port district to accept the lowest qualified bid.

Delaying the start of Phase 1 was not expected to prolong the project’s Feb. 15, 2014 completion. Included in the first phase are reconditioning and reconfiguring a 400-foot breakwater, running supporting utilities and adding an 80-foot gangway to join the existing marina.

The Port of South Whidbey meeting will be at the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District office, located at 5745 Maxwelton Road, Langley.