TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2019
COMMITTEE ON STORMWATER
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Authority to enter into a joint funding agreement with the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey to supply and install flow monitoring and water quality instrumentation at various Elementary Schools in an amount not to exceed $69,236.00, Account 501-50000-612490, Requisition 1527548
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to enter into a joint funding agreement (JFA) with the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to continue flow monitoring and water quality instrumentation at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) elementary schools, through the fall of 2022.
On May 19, 2016, the Board of Commissioners authorized the District to enter into a JFA with the USGS to purchase and install flow monitoring equipment and water quality instrumentation at CPS schools where Green Infrastructure (GI) improvements were installed under the Space to Grow partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Water Management and CPS. These projects provide a multitude of benefits from preventing stormwater from entering the combined sewer system to educating the public about the value of GI. Upon the expiration of this initial agreement, the Board of Commissioners authorized another similar agreement on July 12, 2018, to extend the monitoring until September 30, 2019.
USGS originally installed instrumentation in 2016 at two schools, Grissom Elementary School (12810 S. Escanaba Avenue, Chicago) and Morrill Elementary School (6011 S. Rockwell Street, Chicago). The monitoring equipment originally located at the Morrill School has since been moved to evaluate a different school every year, while the equipment at Grissom School has remained in order to measure long-term GI benefits at the same site. The data collected is being analyzed by the USGS and the District to evaluate the performance of the GI installed at these schools. The results of this monitoring provide information that is useful in adjusting future designs and validating the effectiveness of GI at these sites.
The USGS has prepared a new JFA through September 30, 2022, for monitoring at various CPS locations. The District’s contribution is proposed to be $69,236.00. The USGS will contribute $60,000.00, and CPS will contribute $35,750, through a similar JFA, which is anticipated to be executed in the near future.
It is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement without advertising, per Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act, in an amount not to exceed $69,236.00.
Funds for the 2019 expenditures, in the amount of $5,769.66, are available in Account 501-50000-612490. Funds for the 2020 expenditures, in the amount of $23,078.67, the 2021 expenditures, in the amount of $23,078.67, and the 2022 expenditures, in the amount of $17,309.00, are contingent on the approval of that year’s budget by the Board of Commissioners.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, WSS:JK:JJY
Recommended, Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for September 5, 2019