HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.C 7/21/2014DATE: July 21, 2014
Agenda Item #5.0
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager
FROM: Dan S . '?'' — Director, Public Works and Utilities
Leah G. alker, P.E. — Environmental Services Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution Approving Award of Purchase Order to Huber Technology for
Headworks Equipment for the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility in the
Amount of $470,923.00
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution approving the purchase of
headworks equipment for the Ellis Creels Water Recycling Facility (ECWRF) in the amount of
$470,923.00 from Huber Technology, Huntsville, North Carolina, and authorizing the City
Manager to execute all documents necessary to complete the purchase.
BACKGROUND
The subject project will upgrade the screening process within the headworks of the City's Ellis
Creek Water Recycling Facility (ECWRF), located at 3890 Cypress Drive in Petaluma. The
plant, in operation since early 2009, was designed in accordance with industry standards to
remove debris, including rags, in effect at the time. However, the ECWRF and most other
sewage treatment systems in America, has been significantly impacted by the introduction and
rapid popularity of the disposable wipe (i.e. hand wipe) product. These disposable wipes are
routinely placed in the toilet and cause major problems in sewer pumps. They tend to shred and
bind within a pump interior. Frequent maintenance to clear the pump is required.
The preliminary step in the treatment process is the influent headworks screens where coarse
materials, such as rocks, rags, branches, bottles and plastics, are removed. The existing screening
system includes one manual bar screen and two mechanical bar screens installed in three separate
concrete channels. Each mechanical bar screen is equipped with a dedicated washer and debris
compactor. The existing headworks screens allow certain materials, particularly non -woven
disposable wipes such as "handiwipes", to pass through.
The impact of these products to the wastewater industry is well documented in the literature and
is reflected in the significant mechanical hardships and maintenance time required to "de -rag"
pumps and remove tightly wound clumps of rags downstream of the headworks within the liquid
and solid strewn processes. ECWRF staff manually de -rags sludge pumps up to three times each
Agenda Review:
City Attorney Finance Director
City Manager
week. The growing popularity of baby, personal and disinfectant wipes and the unproper
disposal of these items in the toilet causes serious problems because the wipes do not break down
like toilet paper, thus creating solids build up in tankage and disruptions to the solids handing
system. The existing headworks screens were designed and installed before these products rose
in popularity.
DISCUSSION
The City, working with its engineering consultant, researched screen -replacement options, and
identified three alternatives:
® Step Screen with 1/4 -inch opening
® Perforated Plate Screen with 6 mm (1/4 -inch) opening
® Multi -Rake Bar Screen with 1/4 -inch opening
The City's consultant, Kennedy -Jenks Consultants, Inc., and ECWRF operations staff reviewed
other wastewater treatment facilities with similar equipment, and selected the step screen due to
its relatively high "hand wipe" capture rate and grit accumulation in the influent channels. In
addition to replacing the existing bar screens, the washer/compactor units will be replaced and
will include washing launder tanks that are compatible with the new step screens.
The fabrication of the equipment will take as much as 260 days. Due to the extended lead time
for manufacture, City staff has determined that separating the purchase of the equipment from
the installation contract and issuing a purchase order in advance will expedite the project,
decrease uncertainty in the bid for the installation contract, reduce contractor overhead charges
on the equipment, and ensure that the City receives precisely the product desired. Furthennore,
the design work can focus exclusively on the selected equipment rather than having to be
designed to accommodate other equipment that might have been offered by the general
contractor. The installation contract will be bid in approximately four to six months to allow time
for mobilization and site preparation prior to delivery of the equipment.
The City issued an Invitation to Bid on May 29, 2014. Bids were due to the City Clerk's office
on June 25, 2014 at 3:30 PM. Only one bid from Huber Technology was submitted. Huber sent
the bid via FedEx who attempted delivery at 9:54 AM on June 25. However, due to a delivery
error by FedEx, the package was not left at City Hall but was returned to the local FedEx facility.
City staff retrieved the package the following day and delivered it to the City Clerk's office. In
accordance with Petaluma Municipal Code section 4.04.080(D) and concurrence by City legal
staff the City Manager is authorized to waive the delivery irregularity and to accept the bid.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The purchase bid for the mechanical screening equipment is $470,923 which is within 2%of the
engineer's estimate and within budget. The FY 2014/15 budget for Ellis Creek Headworks
Capital Improvement Project (C66501306) is $2,322,000.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
Attachment 1
RESOLUTION APPROVING AWARD OF PURCHASE ORDER TO HUBER
TECHNOLOGY FOR HEADWORKS EQUIPMENT FOR THE ELLIS CREEK WATER
RECYCLING FACILITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $470,923.00 AND AUTHROIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO
COMPLETE THE PURCHASE
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma seeks to replace existing headworks screens and related
equipment at the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility to improve the removal of materials that
interfere with the treatment process; and
WHEREAS, the City conducted a competitive bidding process for headworks equipment in
compliance with Petaluma Municipal Code section 4.04.080 by preparing, advertising and
soliciting bids to an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for proposals to furnish the headworks equipment;
and
WHEREAS, on June 26, 2014 the City Clerk opened the returned bids for the headworks
equipment and identified Huber Technology, Huntsville, North Carolina, as submitting the
lowest responsive bid, in the amount of $470,923.00; and
WHEREAS, staff has determined that Huber Technology is a responsible bidder, and
WHEREAS, the headworks equipment is part of the Ellis Creek Headworks Capital
Improvement Project (066501306) budgeted for FY 2014/15;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HEREBY
Approves the purchase of headworks equipment for the Ellis Creels Water Recycling
Facility (ECWRF) in the amount of $470,923.00 from Huber Technology, Huntsville,
North Carolina, and authorizing the City Manager to execute all documents necessary
to complete the purchase.
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