TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. John P. Murray, Acting Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Skalar, Inc. to furnish, deliver, and install a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer with all associated accessories, in an amount not to exceed $39,215.00, Account 101-16000-634970, Requisition 1498595
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with Skalar, Inc. (Skalar) to furnish, deliver, and install a Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzer with all associated accessories for the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) laboratory located in the Industrial Waste Analytical Laboratory at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (WRP). This purchase order will expire on November 30, 2018.
The TOC analysis provides a more environmentally beneficial analysis by eliminating the use of the mercury reagent that is required for oxygen demand index analysis to predict BOD concentrations.
It will also provide significant reduction in the number of "No Data" reports as a result of failed BOD analyses. The BOD analyses cannot be rerun, as it requires five days to analyze while only having a 48-hour holding time. TOC is reproducible, automated, and fast; samples can be preserved and reanalyzed, as TOC has a 28-day holding time. In addition, the TOC analyses would provide quicker and more useful results to the WRPs. This new instrument would also have the ability to analyze both liquids and solids in combination offering an economical solution for the laboratory to handle a large variety of sample matrices.
Skalar, Inc. is the only system on the market that offers a mechanical stirrer on the auto-sampler which ensures that the sample remains fully mixed during analysis. It is also the only system that offers an autosampler that can analyze 150 samples per batch. This saves time on preparation and analyses. In addition, it is the only software available that has an option to calculate TOC to BOD which is extremely valuable when analyzing samples for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.
Skalar, the sole-service provider to furnish, deliver, and install the TOC Analyzer, has submitted pricing for the equipment and services required. Inasmuch as Skalar is the sole source of supply for the equipment and services required, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act).
Skalar is registered and in good standing with the State of Illinois.
The Multi-Project Labor Agreement is not applicable due to the specialized nature of the equipment and services required.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with Skalar, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $39,215.00.
Funds are available in Account 101-16000-634970.
Requested, Edward W. Podczerwinski, Director of Monitoring and Research, EWP:KB:DC:cs
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 September 20, 2018