TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 7, 2016
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue a purchase order to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the purchase of 100,000 tree sapling, in an amount of $40,000.00, Account 101-66000-623990 Requisition 1423470
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the purchase of 100,000 tree sapling for subsequent distribution to schools and students across Cook County.
The District will deliver bags of 100-count, 18” bare root oak sapling beginning in April until supplies run out, for free. Using the theme “Be Green, Plant a Tree,” this initiative will help restore the area’s urban canopy and mitigate flooding. Not only are trees effective in intercepting rainfall during storms, but trees also have a side benefit of providing a green canopy. Trees have also been found to reduce air pollution, increase property values, improve human health and well-being, decrease energy costs and create a sense of community among residents, thereby lowering crime rates.
The sapling will be purchased from IDNR’s Mason State Nursery, which is the only State-operated bare-root tree seedling nursery in Illinois that can supply the number of seedlings the District plans to distribute from native Illinois ecotype seed. The seeds were collected and planted to produce the sapling at the Mason State Nursery.
Planting and care instructions, along with additional information regarding the benefits of trees, will be provided with each delivery. Once delivered, the sapling need to be planted within a few days, whether at students’ homes or on school grounds, to ensure their growth and survival.
The planting of these trees will help to counteract the devastation of the local tree canopy due to the emerald ash borer and will also help the District’s mission to manage stormwater in the region.
The District will offer this program to students at public and private elementary, junior high schools, and high schools throughout Cook County. The District may partner with non-governmental organizations to help market the program. The District will work with schools to provide educational lesson plans for teachers while also engaging the public in the quest to manage stormwater. The District will encourage the use of social media (#MyMWRDTree) to heighten the interest in trees. Promotional efforts will initially focus on Earth Day (April 22, 2016) and Arbor Day (April 29, 2016) events and will continue throughout the year.
Inasmuch as the IDNR is the only State operated bare-root tree seeding nursery in Illinois for the required commodity, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act).
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue said purchase order to IDNR in an amount not to exceed $40,000.00
Funds are available in Account 101-66000-623990.
Requested, Manju Prakash Sharma, Director of Maintenance and Operations, AQ:SO’C
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 7, 2016