TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 16, 2017
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order to Chen, Garner & Stevens Partners, LLC (dba Eureka Water Probes), to Furnish and Deliver water quality meters and accessories, in an amount not to exceed $49,612.24, Account 101-16000- 634970, Requisition 1450835
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order to Eureka Water Probes to furnish and deliver eight (8) Manta+35 deployable water quality meters and accessories to the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. All parts will be delivered by June 30, 2017.
The equipment is used by the Aquatic Ecology/Water Quality Section in the Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring (CDOM) Program, which is required by the District’s NPDES permits and consent decree. In addition, this data supports ongoing projects, such as the Lake Michigan Discretionary Diversion Optimization and Tunnel and Reservoir Plan post construction monitoring.
It was strongly recommended by IT Department staff (who maintain the District’s continuous dissolved oxygen monitoring database) that we purchase the same manufacturer’s equipment to minimize issues associated with maintaining the database for download from multiple instruments and software. Having instruments from one manufacturer will also improve efficiency by allowing the District to maintain only one service contract for maintenance and repair.
The new equipment will replace instruments that are currently older than their expected service life of ten (10) years. These older water quality meters are increasingly expensive to maintain and will eventually stop being supported, because the manufacturer has introduced equipment with an improved technological platform. Therefore, the older water quality meters will be decommissioned and eventually sold on iBid.
Eureka Water Probes, the manufacturer and sole source of supply, has submitted pricing for the water quality meters required. Inasmuch as Eureka Water Probes is the only source of supply for the Manta+35 water quality meters, said purchase order may be issued without competitive bidding pursuant to Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act.
Eureka Water Probes is not registered to transact business in the State of Illinois, but has submitted a certificate of good standing from the State of Texas. The Director of Monitoring and Research has given approval to move forward with the recommendation to award.
The Multi-Project Labor Agreement is not applicable to this contract because it is primarily a furnish and deliver contract.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue said purchase order to Eureka Water Probes in an amount not to exceed $49,612.24.
Funds are available in Account 101-16000- 634970.
Requested, Thomas C. Granato, Director of Monitoring and Research, TCG:HZ:JW:JV:cm: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 February 16, 2017