STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Government Performance and Financial Management
AGENDA DATE: December 8, 2021
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Procurement Services
EXECUTIVE: Elizabeth Reich
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize a three-year service price agreement for E. Coli testing in rivers and lakes for the Water Utilities Department - Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Services, sole source - Estimated amount of $307,800 - Financing: Stormwater Drainage Management Fund
Body
BACKGROUND
This action does not encumber funds; the purpose of a service price agreement is to establish firm pricing for services, for a specific term, which are ordered on an as needed basis according to annual budgetary appropriations. The estimated amount is intended as guidance rather than a cap on spending under the agreement, so that actual need combined with the amount budgeted will determine the amount spent under this agreement.
This service price agreement will provide for E. Coli testing in rivers and lakes. These services will provide the City with a bacterial source tracking (BST) approach that uses two deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprinting techniques (ERIC-PCR and Riboprinting) to characterize E. Coli from unknown sources and compare them against E. Coli from known sources in the Texas E. Coli BST Library.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Equality (TCEQ) requires the City to have a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program to improve water quality in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. The BST sampling will allow the City to implement the plan to put the TMDL into action by outlining the source to reduce pollutant loads through regulatory and voluntary activities. The TMDL-BST Program is created to fulfill the requirements of Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act and its implementing regulations.
The BST approach is based on known-source samples collected in Texas from various sources, including humans, domesticated animals, and numerous wildlife species. Other primary source tracking providers include source molecular and microbial insights. These source tracking approaches are generally based on quantitative detection of markers specific to certain source classes.
As part of the solicitation process and in an effort to increase competition, the Office of Procurement Services used its procurement system to send out email notifications to vendors registered under relevant commodity codes. To further increase competition, the Office of Procurement Services uses historical solicitation information, the Internet, and vendor contact information obtained from user departments to contact additional vendors.
On November 10, 2015, the City Council authorized a living wage policy that requires contractors to pay their employees a “living wage” rate as established annually by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator for Dallas County by Resolution No. 15-2141. The current calculated living wage during the solicitation process of this contract is $15.21; the selected vendor meets this requirement.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
This item has no prior action.
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2022 |
FY 2023 |
Future Years |
|
Stormwater Drainage Management Fund |
$102,600.00 |
$102,600.00 |
$102,600.00 |
M/WBE INFORMATION
In accordance with the City’s Business Inclusion and Development Policy adopted on September 23, 2020, by Resolution No. 20-1430, as amended, the M/WBE participation on this contract is as follows:
|
Contract Amount |
Procurement Category |
M/WBE Goal |
M/WBE % |
M/WBE $ |
|
$307,800.00 |
Other Services |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
• The Business Inclusion and Development Policy does not apply to Other Service contracts. |
|
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services - Non-local; Workforce - 0.00% Local |
PROCUREMENT INFORMATION
Method of Evaluation for Award Type:
|
Sole Source |
• Utilized for procurements where functional requirements can only be satisfied by one vendor, such as those where patents, copyrights or monopolies exists |
|
|
• Exempted from competitive bidding process |
|
|
• The Office of Procurement Services conducted a sole source review and found no exceptions |
OWNER
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services
600 John Kimbrough Blvd.
College Station, TX 77843
Loree Lewis, Director