TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 4, 2019
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Authorization for payment to Isle Inc., for the annual membership in the Isle - Technology Approval Group, in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00, Account 101-15000-612280 (Deferred from the March 21, 2019 Board Meeting)
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to make payment to Isle Inc. (Isle), for 2019 annual membership in the Isle - Technology Approval Group (TAG), in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00. The membership period ends December 31, 2019.
The Isle - TAG performs worldwide searches for innovative emerging technologies to address member needs, including wastewater treatment, asset management, and business practices in the water and wastewater industries. The Isle - TAG is a global innovation forum which brings staff from member water utilities together to evaluate emerging technologies, identify pilot testing opportunities, and engage in collaborative research or deployment. The technology evaluations are conducted by participating utility staff facilitated by Isle Inc. experts during regional TAG meetings.
The Monitoring and Research Department evaluated several similar organizations and found the Isle - TAG most suitable to meet the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (District) needs. Two of the key benefits the District will obtain from the Isle - TAG membership are:
1. Collaborative Evaluation: access to innovative forums consisting of regional utilities to collaboratively review emerging technologies in a peer-to-peer environment increases opportunities for knowledge transfer and shared resources to support and adopt new technologies. Peer-to-peer technology evaluations at TAG meetings will also help improve the problem-solving skills of staff involved, improve knowledge sharing, and provide networking opportunities.
2. Access to the Isle - TAG Technology Platform: District staff will have unlimited online access to Isle’s technology platform database, which currently consists of more than 1,500 technology profiles, case studies, and evaluations of those technologies. Currently, District staff invests significant amounts of time and resources to evaluate solicited or unsolicited technologies. Access to Isle’s technology platform will be a great resource to obtain information about new technologies more efficiently because for all technologies vetted by the TAG, the platform will have all the relevant information, such as current users of the technology and the results of pilot or case studies, in one place.
The Isle - TAG membership provides benefits aligned with the District’s vision, “Recovering Resources, Transforming Water,” and takes advantage of the changing landscape in the water industry for adopting new concepts and innovative technologies. Becoming a member of the Isle - TAG will be beneficial as the District strives to achieve excellence in all aspects of wastewater treatment and improve our environment.
Isle, as the representative of the TAG, the sole source of supply, has submitted pricing for the amount of the research commitment by the District as a member in 2019. Inasmuch as the research benefits are not available through any other source of supply, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act).
Isle Inc. is not registered to transact business in Illinois, but has submitted a certificate of good standing from the State of California. The Administrative Services Officer has given approval to move forward with the recommendation to award.
It is hereby recommended that the Board of Commissioners authorize payment by direct voucher, to Isle Inc., in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00. Funds are available in Account 101-15000-612280.
Requested, Eileen McElligott, Administrative Services Officer, JRM:ps
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 April 4, 2019