TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Melching Water Solutions LLC, for use of DUFLOW water quality modeling to complete a final optimization plan for discretionary diversion, maximizing attainment of dissolved oxygen standards in the Chicago Area Waterway System, in an amount not to exceed $240,000.00, Account 101-50000-612430, Requisition 1624656
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with Melching Water Solutions LLC (MWS), to complete final optimization modeling of operational rules to maximize dissolved oxygen (DO) standard attainment in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) and fulfill Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) requirements regarding the District’s amended Lake Michigan diversion allocation.
As an Associate Professor at Marquette University, Dr. Steve Melching of MWS worked with the District on development of the DUFLOW model to simulate flow and water quality in the CAWS under unsteady flow conditions. This model has been used by Dr. Melching and his team to support the District in its evaluation of water quality improvement technologies proposed in the Use Attainability Analysis for the CAWS, development of an integrated strategy to meet the DO standards for the CAWS proposed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the District, evaluation of changes in Lockport gate operations to reduce flow reversals to Lake Michigan, and evaluation of the effects of changes in navigational regulations on water quality in the CAWS (done in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Most recently, MWS worked with the District to support its petition for modification of discretionary diversion, developing a preliminary re-allocation of the discretionary diversion from Lake Michigan and revised operation of aeration stations to better achieve applicable dissolved oxygen standards. Dr. Melching provided expert testimony for the District at IDNR hearings relative to this petition.
The IDNR issued a final administrative decision on the District’s Petition for Modification of Allocation Permit on September 22, 2016. The decision modifies the District’s allocation for Lake Michigan discretionary diversion to 220 cfs for water years 2018 - 2030. One of the conditions of the ruling is that the District will “complete and implement the optimization modeling and plan for discretionary diversion use” referenced in the record of the proceeding. In a previous District project (Evaluating Diversion to Manage CAWS, 2012) MWS evaluated prior Lake Michigan discretionary diversion allocation (270 cfs) and provided preliminary recommendations for operational monitoring locations in the waterways and for optimal use of diversion flows to maximize compliance with DO water quality standards. MWS also determined operational strategies for most aeration stations under the previous allocation conditions. Through this new agreement, MWS completed the overall optimization plan for the CAWS based on the newly approved diversion allocations and prepared a report summarizing the derivation of the procedures for optimizing the use of diversion water. This proposal was accepted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and adopted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) beginning October 1, 2017.
The current annual discretionary diversion level is valid through September 30, 2030, at which time the McCook Reservoir is scheduled for completion. Therefore, a new modeling analysis is needed to determine the appropriate annual average discretionary diversion for Water Year (WY) 2031 and beyond.
Dr. Melching has extensive knowledge of the CAWS and District operations. Further, Dr. Melching has detailed familiarity with the IDNR hearings and its previous decision regarding the District’s discretionary diversion allocation permit.
This work will be done in one year by completing five tasks, including the recommendation of final optimization procedures to be determined through a combination of operational rules to yield maximum attainment of the DO standards for various wet and dry weather conditions.
MWS submitted pricing for the services required. Inasmuch as MWS is the expert provider to conduct an overall optimization of operational rules to maximize dissolved oxygen standard attainment in the CAWS, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act).
Melching Water Solutions LLC is not registered to transact business in the State of Illinois but has submitted a certificate of good standing from the State of Wisconsin.
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 purchase order and enter into an agreement with MWS, in an amount not to exceed $240,000.00.
Funds for the 2024 expenditure, in the amount of $20,000.00, are available in Account 101-50000-612430. The estimated expenditure for 2025 is $120,000.00 and for 2026 is $100,000 and is contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, KMF
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Marcelino Garcia, 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 19, 2024