URS Corporation has been awarded a contract to design the Port of Los Angeles/Port of Long Beach Joint Container Inspection Facility (JCIF) by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. The project is being partially funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant of $2.5 million that was accepted by the Harbor Commission in a separate action. The Port of Los Angeles will pay for the remaining $1.3 million for design.

"This is an important project for the entire port complex, and we are pleased to be able to keep it progressing forward to the design phase," said Geraldine Knatz, Port of Los Angeles executive director. "By locating the inspection facility within the port, we keep suspect containers from being moved on streets and freeways through communities--which is in the best interest of everyone involved."

The new inspection facility will be located on the site of the former United States Customs Building on Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles. The building will be owned by the port, but will be used by a diverse group of law enforcement agencies, including the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency, for inspection of special, high-risk and randomly selected cargo containers. Currently, these inspections are performed at facilities inland.

The total cost of the project, including construction, is estimated at $73.8 million to $90.8 million. Grants have been awarded for the initial feasibility study and for design in a total amount of $4 million. The Port of Los Angeles will seek additional grants and funding to assist with the completion of the project.

The Port of Los Angeles is a leading container port in the nation and a critical hub in the international supply chain. The port generates 259,000 regional jobs and $8.4 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. The Port of Los Angeles also places a high priority on responsible growth initiatives combined with high security, environmental stewardship and community outreach.