City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: February 20, 2024
From: Todd Dusenberry, General Manager of Public Utilities Department: Public Utilities
Submitted by: Adriana Ramos, Management Analyst
Subject
Purchase Order with Charles P. Crowley Company
Recommendation
A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, because installation of monitoring equipment consists of minor alteration of existing structures/facilities and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use;
B. Accept the bid from Charles P. Crowley Company as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder and reject all other bids; and
C. Approve and authorize the issuance of a purchase order with Charles P. Crowley Company for the procurement of turbidity monitoring equipment, for a total amount not-to-exceed $106,228.14.
Background
Vernon Public Utilities (VPU) owns and operates seven active groundwater wells aged 22 to 70 years old. Due to age and water chemistry, well casings degrade and can develop holes which may allow silt, sand, or gravel to escape and be pumped out of the well. This kind of damage can get progressively worse, allowing more silt, sand, or gravel to pass through the well casing and increasing the turbidity (measure of relative clarity) of the water.
Turbidity sensors enable continuous monitoring of water running through a pipe, indicating any silt or sand outside normal water quality limits. Staff proposes to procure six turbidity and suspended solid sensors for installation on six of its seven active wells. The remaining well is a low producer that VPU is considering placing on inactive status. Turbidity or suspended solids detected above set water quality limits would result in the facility being turned off for evaluation, which prevents or mitigates potential water quality issues. This equipment is crucial to the longevity and reliability of VPU’s wells. This equipment could also prevent catastrophic failure of a well via continuous monitoring and indication of any potential water quality issues.
In accordance with Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.070, on October 12, 2023, staff issued a Notice Inviting Bids (NIB) for Turbidity Monitoring Equipment. The NIB was published in the local newspaper, the Huntington Park Bulletin, and advertised on the City's Planet Bids platform.
Three bid packages were received by the October 26, 2023 deadline. However, two bids were deemed to be non-responsive as they did not follow the bidding requirements outlined in the NIB.
Staff reviewed the bid received from Charles P. Crowley Company (Crowley) and deemed it a responsive and responsible bid.
Staff recommends the City Council approve a Purchase Order with Crowley in the amount of $106,228.14, which includes estimated taxes and freight, for the procurement of turbidity monitoring equipment.
Fiscal Impact
Approval of this action would require an appropriation $106,228.14 for the procurement of the turbidity monitoring equipment in Water Fund, Capital Outlay, Account No. 058-070-700-660000 from available Water Fund Unassigned Fund Balance.
Attachments
1. Charles P. Crowley Company - Bid