TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 2, 2017
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for Contract 17-839-5C Land and Hydrologic Analysis for Stormwater Management Facilities for the Illinois State Water Survey to provide a land and hydrologic analysis in an amount not to exceed $143,694.00, Account 501-50000-612430, Requisition 1458664
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I) for Contract 17-839-5C Land and Hydrologic Analysis for Stormwater Management Facilities for the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) to conduct a spatial analysis of existing land and identify opportune areas for detention and volume control facilities.
This study will be conducted under the auspices of the Master Agreement between U of I and the District, authorized by the Board of Commissioners at the Board Meeting of September 19, 2002, and amended to extend the termination date by the Board of Commissioners at the Board Meetings of October 16, 2003, May 3, 2007, December 16, 2010, March 15, 2012, and August 6, 2015. The purpose of the Master Agreement is to allow the District to directly take advantage of the expertise offered by U of I. ISWS is one of the five Prairie Research Institute state scientific surveys formed as a group under the auspices of U of I.
The Watershed Management Ordinance (WMO) regulates site stormwater management requiring stormwater detention based on development type and parcel size. If it is not practicable to provide a detention facility onsite, an offsite detention facility may be constructed as long as it is within the same subwatershed. As part of the WMO Draft Amendment that is currently in a public review comment period, volume control trading within the same subwatershed is also proposed.
The District is working in coordination with the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to determine the feasibility of an offsite stormwater detention and volume control trading exchange within suburban Cook County. The goal of such an exchange is to identify if stormwater management can be expanded and implemented more efficiently by locating facilities in strategic locations, rather than solely onsite as part of each individual development. Together, MPC and TNC are concurrently evaluating the trading exchange from a real estate perspective. Ultimately, a policy analysis will combine these efforts as part of this potential trading exchange.
ISWS will complete a spatial analysis of land use and hydrology across each of the six watersheds within Cook County, excluding the City of Chicago, to identify areas that would provide the most efficient stormwater management benefit for future development taking advantage of a stormwater exchange. Available geospatial data will be evaluated to identify and map favorable areas for stormwater detention and volume control facilities. Unsuitable areas will be eliminated and locations with multiple desirable characteristics will be further reviewed.
The time to complete the analysis is six months, which includes presentation of the findings. ISWS has submitted a proposal in the amount of $143,694.00 to perform the study. The Engineering Department reviewed the proposal and found it to be acceptable.
Since the services to be provided are professional in nature, and the aforementioned university is reputable, it is recommended that the purchase order be issued without advertising, as per Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in an amount not to exceed $143,694.00.
Funds for the 2017 expenditures are available in Account 501-50000-612430.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, WSS:JK
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 March 2, 2017