New storm debris removal contract awarded for Fire Island

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has re-awarded a contract for post-superstorm Sandy debris removal on Fire Island, this time to a Bay Shore company.

Custom Earth Recycling, LLC has been tapped to complete the project at a cost of $10.5 million, $1.7 million higher than the original bid award, which the Army Corp suspended more than a week ago.

The Army Corps originally awarded the contract to DS3 Enterprises Inc., of Central Islip. But six days after the Jan. 25 announcement, the Army Corps suspended the contract due to a protest from one of the bidders.

An Army Corps spokesman said earlier this week that the protest was found to have merit, and the nine bids for the project were then re-evaluated by a new panel. The panel then determined that DS3 Enterprises did not meet the criteria for the project, which requires removing and hauling 9,650 tons of debris off the barrier island by the end of March. -- Candice Ruud