TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 21, 2017
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order to Drydon Equipment, Inc., to Furnish and Deliver one Swaby Lobeline rotary lobe pump, in an amount not to exceed $46,400.00, Account 201-50000-634650, Requisition 1481577
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order to Drydon Equipment, Inc., to Furnish and Deliver one Swaby Lobeline rotary lobe pump to the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. The pump will be delivered by June 1, 2018.
Drydon Equipment, Inc., the sole source distributor of the Swaby Lobeline rotary lobe pump, has submitted a price for the equipment required. During the design of Contract 09-176-3P, it was determined that positive displacement pumps would be more suitable than centrifugal pumps for sludge thickened by the gravity thickeners and centrifuges. As sludge approaches and exceeds 7% solids, centrifugal pumps can lose reliability and efficiency, whereas positive displacement pumps operate well. As sludge concentration increases, digester efficiency increases, as less water must be heated to maintain the minimum temperatures. The centrifuges are capable of producing sludge in excess of 7% solids. The most compact and efficient positive-displacement pumps suitable for thickened sludge are rotary lobe pumps. There are several manufacturers. Manufacturers of pumps which utilize separate gearboxes and rotor cases were chosen and Alfa Laval, Swaby Lobeline, and Boerger were the named manufacturers and Boerger was supplied under the contract.
The District has experienced problems with the Boerger pumps, in terms of rapid wear and periodic cracking of the lobes, which results in reduced flow and efficiency. These pumps are located in the Pre-Digestion Centrifuge building, the Gravity Thickener building, and the Digester complex, and have had higher than expected maintenance costs.
The Swaby Lobeline pumps have harder elastomer covers for the rotors and more abrasion-resistant wear plates than the Boerger units, and should last longer between rebuilds. The District has experience with Swaby Lobeline pumps for polymer delivery at Calumet WRP, and has not experienced problems with these units. Swaby Lobeline is a local company, and produces pumps for a worldwide market. It is intended to install one Swaby Lobeline pump in the pre-digestion centrifuge building, and operate it to see how it compares with the existing Boerger pumps in terms of flow efficiency and maintenance costs. If it is determined that the Swaby Lobeline pump lasts longer, they would be considered for future replacement of the other existing pumps.
Inasmuch as Drydon Equipment, Inc., is the only source of supply for the Swaby Lobeline rotary lobe pump, said purchase order may be issued without competitive bidding pursuant to Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act.
Drydon Equipment, Inc., is registered and in good standing with the State of Illinois.
The Multi-Project Labor Agreement is not applicable to this contract because it is primarily a furnish and deliver contract.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue said purchase order to Drydon Equipment, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $46,400.00.
Funds are available in Account 201-50000-645650.
Requested, Marcella V. Landis, Acting Director of Engineering, ECB
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 December 21, 2017