HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.D 7/1/2013 Agee/144,a/ Itemai#3 .D
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DATE: July 1, 2013
TO: Honorable`Mayor and Members of the City Council through C ity Manager
FROM: Dan St. John F.ASCE—Director, Public Works and Utilities
Larry Zimmer; Engineering Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution Approving the Purchase of Badger Water Meters and Registers for the
Automatic-Meter Read Replacement Project
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council,adopt the attached Resolution,approving the purchase of
Badger Water Meters;and Registers for the Automatic Meter Read (AMR)Replacement Project.
BACKGROUND
The current General Plan identifies tfie,need to:{convert to-Automatic Meter Read System (AMR)
to maintain a high level of customer service and satisfaction (goal 8-G-2 Water Supply and
Demand/policy 8-P-8.B). The-City has been engaged in a phased project to convert all meters
to AMR. This action supports;additional purchase of Badger Water Meters, representing the
type and variety that have been-used on the project,to date. The Council has approved similar
purchases for earlier phases of the conversion program, including approvals on July 18, 2011,
March=5,.2012.and September 10;;2012..As well, the City Council approved funding for the
project in the current FY 13/14 CIP Budget.
DISCUSSION
The Cityconverted from bi=monthly;billing'to monthly-billing in January 2012..AMR meters
were identified as the lowest-cost alternative to allow for monthly reads. The AMR solution
significantly reduces the employee hours necessary to accomplish the reading of meters monthly.
The proposed action supports a multiple year program to replace,existing°manual read water
meters with automatically;read meters:,There are approximately 19,700 meters in.the system and
of that nventory 13,000 have been converted to Badger AMR. This proposed purchase is for
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meters and 3650`registers. AMR meters have greatly enhanced read accuracy and speed, as
well as water conservation efforts because theimeters provide benefitssuch as water use
profiling and-leak:detection.- The department has:beemusing Badger Meters since the late 1980's
and began installing AMR.meters in 2001. These meters have proven to be very reliable.
Agenda Rev
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City Attorne Finance Director 1 1 City Manag
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The proposed Resolution authorizes purchase of the metersand:registers for installation this
year In where the existing meter'is'outside its useful life, theentire meter will be replaced.
If the meter is still within its serviceable life, only the register portion of the meter is replaced.
The register is the part of the meter that contains the AMR unit.
California Public'Contract Code Section.3.400(b)(2) allows the City to specify a product
purchase'by brand.name if that brand is required in order to match other products in use on a
particular public improvement either completed or in the process of completion. The City has
standardized its use,of the Badger meters,for the City waterameter replacement program by
Resolutions,88-394 and 89-3 18 N.C.S., and Badger meters are in use as part of the City's water
system: This standardization allows the City to maintain a smaller parts inventory, reduce
trainin g needs, improve consistency-of operations and maintenance:and permits equipment
interchangeability. In_addition, Petaluma Municipal Code Section 4.04:050 provides an
exemption-from the City's competitive,bidding requirements when thercommoditycan be
obtained from only one vendor' 'Badger is the manufacturerandsupplier of this meter, and there
are no other regional suppliers of these products.
The installation of the meter and registers will be done with a combination of contract and City
forces to achieve economies ofscale. 90%.of all existing meters will b e converted after
construction of this phase and City staff projects completion of AMR conversion project by the
end of 2014.
Theproposed action meets Council Goal: "Plan for and implement priority capital projects as
funding permits".
'FINANCIAL IMPACTS •
The cost of the....meters and registers is $674,503.48. The Automatic Meter Replacement.Project
(C67500903)has $800,000 in..the 13/14 CIP for purchase and installation of AMR's. The,
balance of funds is sufficient to cover the cost of construction services and city staff time for the
installation.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Sole Source Justification Packet
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. Attachment I
RESOLUTION,APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF
BADGER WATER METERS AND REGISTERS
FOR THE AUTOMATIC_METER READ;REPLACEMENT PROJECT
WHEREAS, Resolution No.20.08-085 NCS.acceptedthe General Plan 2025 as the governing
policy document; and
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma intends to convert existing manual read meters to automatic
read meters as identified'by General Plan Goa1;8-G-2 and Program 8-P-8.B; and
WHEREAS,the funds for<the conversion are Contained in/the FY 2013/2014 Capital
Improvement Project budget;'and
WHEREAS,the.City has taken the necessary'steps applicable to bidding requirements to
arrange for the acquisition of the equipment; and
WHEREAS,purchase of the;meters complies with City Municipal Code 4.04.04.050(b) which
exemptsfrom competitive bidding requirements purchase of items obtainable from only one
vendor; and
WHEREAS,the City has standardized meter equipment to maximize flexibility, convenience,
and cost in training, spare parts; operation and maintenance; and
WHEREAS,the City proposes,to enter into the purchase with the sole source vendor, Badger
Meter.Inc., currently the only vendor of this product; and
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council hereby authorizes the
purchase of Water Meters and Registers for the.Automatic Meter Read Replacement
Project(C67500903)from Badger Meter Inc., in the amount of$674,503.48.
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