TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 18, 2010
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Richard Lanyon, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Sirius Automation, Inc., to Furnish, Deliver and Install a Bohdan/Sirius Automated Weigher Robotic Workstation, in an amount not to exceed $88,990.00, Account 101-16000-634970, Requisition 1298128
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order (PO) and enter into an agreement with Sirius Automation, Inc. (SAI), to furnish, deliver and install a Bohdan/Sirius automated weigher robotic workstation at the Stickney Industrial Waste Analytical Laboratory (SIWAL) of the Monitoring and Research Department (M&R). This PO will expire on December 31, 2010.
SAI, the sole-service provider to furnish, deliver and install a Bohdan/Sirius automated weigher robotic workstation has submitted pricing for the services and equipment required. Inasmuch as SAI is the only source of supply for the services and the equipment required, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act). In addition, the equipment provided under this PO and agreement is economically available from a single source.
SAI is the only vendor that offers an automated weigher robotic workstation which is compatible with existing equipment. Three (3) other laboratories within M&R’s Analytical Laboratories Division use SAI automated weighing stations (AWS) for total suspended solids (TSS) analysis of treatment plant samples. In addition, the AWS hardware and software are exclusively manufactured for, and serviced by SAI. Therefore, all District-wide equipment can be blanketed under a combined maintenance service contract.
The SIWAL will use the equipment to determine TSS concentrations in samples collected by the Industrial Waste Division. The TSS results are a component of the equation used to assess User Charge fees to industrial waste dischargers. The User Charge program generates millions of dollars in annual revenue for the District.
This equipment will replace an obsolete Bohdan automatic weigher robotic station, which will be used as a trade-in to offset the price of the new workstation. Technological/analytical support for the existing equipment is no longer available due to the advanced age of its components and the unavailability of replacement parts.
The Multi-Project Labor Agreement is not applicable due to the specialized nature of the services required.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a PO and enter into an agreement with SAI, in an amount not to exceed $88,990.00.
Funds are available in Account 101-16000-634970.
Requested, Louis Kollias, Director of Monitoring and Research, LK:TG:MPC:KB:bk
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 18, 2010