TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 2022
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Authorization to make payment to Current Innovation, NFP (Current) for the 2022 annual membership dues, in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00, Account 101-15000-612280 (Deferred from the July 14, 2022 Board Meeting)
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to make payment by direct voucher to Current, in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for annual membership dues in 2022.
Current is a non-profit water entity based in Chicago, Illinois, and was launched in 2016 as a public-private partnership of the City of Chicago, the District and World Business Chicago. Current leverages Chicago’s world-class utilities, research institutions, industries and innovation community for global environmental and economic impact. Through this collaborative platform, Current aims to enhance the efficiency and resiliency of water systems, accelerate innovative water technology solutions to safeguard clean water and improve wastewater treatment, raise global awareness of water, and grow an inclusive blue economy for all. Current accelerates innovation through the following three programs: (1) maintains a water technology database that keeps track of market-ready and emerging technologies and highlights their functions, benefits and the challenges these technologies address, (2) facilitates a network of utility and industrial sites that host promising technology pilots and demonstrations with sound engineering and economic fundamentals, (3) conducts demonstration projects that rigorously evaluates the scientific, engineering and economic fundamentals of new water technologies to assess operational and financial performance and determine if technologies are likely to deliver the expected value to investors and customers. The District is a demonstration site for wastewater technology projects. These programs are consistent with the District’s strategic business plan, particularly the District’s efforts toward resource management through collaboration.
The District is actively involved in two ongoing pilot projects through Current. H2NOW is the first real-time water quality monitoring project in the U.S. that measures microbial pollutants. The second project focuses on COVID-19 wastewater surveillance through precision wastewater-based epidemiology. Advancing this type of technology can lead to early identification and tracking of future disease outbreaks.
Current is the sole source of supply. Inasmuch as participation in this membership is not available through any other source of supply, nothing would be gained by advertising for bids (Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act).
It is hereby recommended that the Board of Commissioners authorize payment, by direct voucher, to Current, in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00.
Funds are available in Account 101-15000-612280.
Requested, Shellie A. Riedle, Budget Officer, CO:PS
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 August 11, 2022