HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/17/2012 Water MetersMount Prospect Public Works Department
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
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TO: VILLAGE MANAGER MICHAEL E. JANONIS
FROM: WATER & SEWER SUPERINTENDENT
DATE: JANUARY 10, 2012
SUBJ: BID RESULTS FOR WATER METERS (NOT TO EXCEED $59,216)
Background
The Village of Mount Prospect operates a water distribution system that includes over 11,000
metered accounts, pumps an average of 3.5 million gallons of water per day, and generates
annual revenues exceeding $10 million. Water meters are an important part of the fiscal
viability of this enterprise. They are, in essence, the cash registers that support the entire
operation.
In order to assure accuracy, it is necessary to periodically repair or replace water meters. It has
been our experience that it is cheaper and more efficient to replace smaller meters, such as the
5/8" and 1" meters installed in most homes, rather than have them tested and repaired. This
reality can be explained by the fact that it is considerably more labor- intensive to test these
meters, and make any commensurate repairs, than it is to simply replace the meter. Also, since
replacement is much faster than testing, the process is less disruptive to customers.
Presently, the Village replaces residential water meters on 15 -year cycle. Typically, 700 to 800
meters are replaced each year. This schedule is consistent with guidelines promulgated by the
American Water Works Association (AWWA). AWWA recommends repair or replacement of
small, cold -water meters every 15 years.
Staff prepared bid documents for the quantity of meters that are planned for replacement in
2012 plus a nominal meter reserve for new installations and emergency water meter changes.
These documents also required vendors to provide pricing on 750- 5/8" and 75 - 1" cold water
meters, along with associated parts. In addition, the specifications also required vendors to
provide an absolute digital encoder (ADE) register head reading in gallons with cabling to allow
for the meter's future incorporation into an automated meter reading (AMR) system.
Furthermore, vendors were instructed to provide pricing valid for a minimum of one hundred and
eight (180) days or for a longer period that the vendor could stipulate.
Bid Results
Bid documents were requested by five (5) firms and a bid notice was published in a local paper.
Bids were received on January 9, 2012, opened and read aloud as required. No vendors
declined to bid. The following five (5) firms submitted bids:
Page 2 of 2
Bid Results for Water Meters (Not to exceed $59,216.00)
January 10, 2012
BIDDER
PRICE
Badger Meter, Brown Deer, Wisconsin
$ 59,216.00
HBK Meter Services, Palatine, Illinois
$ 59,876.75
Water Products Inc, Aurora, Illinois
$ 64,053.25
Datamatic, Plano, Texas
$ 65,009.25
Mid American Water, Wauconda, Illinois
Non - responsive
($ 75,218.00 )
Discussion
All bids were checked to ensure that the supplier was providing the needed and necessary
equipment in accordance with the specifications. One bidder, Mid American Water, failed to
submit either a bid bond or cashier's check and thus is considered non - responsive to the bid
specifications. All bidders stipulated that they would honor their unit prices for a period of one
hundred - eighty (180) days.
The lowest responsible bidder, Badger Meter of Brown Deer, Wisconsin has been the Village's
water meter supplier in previous years and is considered a reliable, responsive vendor. In fact,
the Village of Mount Prospect is one of Badger Meter's oldest customers with procurement
records dating to the 1920s. Staff is confident that Badger Meter can adequately fulfill this
proposed contract.
Recommendation
I recommend that the Village Board accept the bid for the purchase for cold -water meters and
accessory components as submitted by Badger Meter Company of Brown Deer, Wisconsin in
an amount not to exceed $59,216.00. Sufficient funds for this proposed procurement exist in
the current budget.
Matt Overeem, Superintendent
Wan P. Dorsey
Director of Public Works
cc: Director of Public Works Sean P. Dorsey
bid file
H: \Water \projects\2012 \meters \BID RECOMMENDATION water meters.doc