TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 4, 2016
COMMITTEE ON Procurement
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Authorization to amend the Master Agreement with Northwestern University to extend the agreement termination date from September 9, 2017 to August 31, 2018
Body
Dear Sir:
On September 4, 2014, the Board of Commissioners (Board) granted authority to enter into a Master Agreement (MA) between the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) and Northwestern University (NU). Initially, this agreement was for an approximate period of three years to terminate on September 9, 2017.
Authorization is requested to further amend and extend the MA between the District and NU through August 31, 2018. This amendment is due to a recent Research Project Specification with an anticipated completion date beyond the current MA expiration date of September 9, 2017.
A project was authorized by the Board on August 6, 2015 for a laboratory study of two mainstream shortcut biological nitrogen removal approaches. This project is under the supervision of the Monitoring and Research Department and is expected to be completed by August 31, 2018.
Under the MA, NU provides valuable expertise and collaborative support to our operating departments and the MA serves as a vehicle to expedite collaboration, as organizational needs develop. The continuation of this relationship, in the future, would be beneficial to address any emerging issues, problems and challenges that would impact the District’s operations.
Therefore, since the required services under the MA are professional in nature, they are not adaptive to award by competitive bidding. Therefore, it is requested that the extension of the termination date be authorized without advertising, as stated in Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act.
This amendment is in compliance with the Illinois Criminal Code, since the change is due to circumstances not reasonably foreseeable at the time the contract was signed, and is in the best interest of the District.
Requested, Thomas C. Granato, Director of Monitoring and Research, TCG:EWP:MPC:KB:kq:ae
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for August 4, 2016