TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 1, 2018
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Report on rejection of bids for Contract 18-605-21, Furnish and Deliver Station Battery Equipment, estimated cost $275,000.00
Body
Dear Sir:
On October 19, 2017, the Board of Commissioners authorized the Director of Procurement and Materials Management to advertise for bids, Contract 18-605-21, Furnish and Deliver Station Battery Equipment.
In response to a public advertisement of December 13, 2017, a bid opening was held on January 9, 2018. The bid tabulation for this contract is:
STORAGE BATTERY SYSTEMS, INC. $196,326.40
STANDBY POWER SYSTEM CONSULTANTS, INC. $255,639.00
ATLAS & ASSOCIATES, INC. $258,800.00
One thousand two hundred sixty eight (1268) companies were notified of this contract being advertised and thirty (30) companies requested specifications.
A review of the lowest bid, submitted by Storage Battery Systems, Inc., revealed that they offered substitutions that did not comply with the contract specifications. The contract documents required 44 batteries at 6V for Item 4 and they offered 128 batteries at 2V. Therefore, the bid was considered non-responsive and is rejected in the public’s best interest. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has notified Storage Battery Systems, Inc., of this action.
A review of the next lowest bid, submitted by Standby Power System Consultants, Inc., revealed that they qualified their bid by making alterations to the quantities. They offered 3 battery racks for Item 11. We requested 2 battery racks. The substitutions do not meet the requirements of the Detailed Specifications. In accordance with the General Requirements, Specifications and Conditions section, bidders are not to qualify their bids by modifying the contract documents. Therefore, the bid is considered non-responsive and is rejected in the public’s best interest. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has notified Standby Power Systems, Inc., of this action.
Atlas & Associates, Inc., has been placed on the District’s list of non-responsible vendors. At the Board Meetings of February 2, 2017 and December 7, 2017, Atlas & Associates, Inc., forfeited contracts with the District based on its failure to perform according to contract specifications. Therefore, per section 70 ILCS 2605/11.11 of the Purchasing Act, Atlas & Associates, Inc., will remain on the District’s list until February 2, 2021. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has notified Atlas & Associates, Inc., of this action.
The Maintenance and Operations Department will revise and re-advertise this contract.
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management, DAL:SEB:cm
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 1, 2018