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CONSIDERATION AND AWARDING OF BID NO. 1314-31 FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN AUTO-TITRATION SYSTEM FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
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BACKGROUND: On July 10, 2014, bids were opened for Bids No. 1314-31 for the purchase of an auto-titration system for the water treatment plant laboratory. Funds in the amount of $60,000 were originally budgeted in Telecommunication Equip./Computer Hardware for purchase of the equipment and were encumbered at fiscal year-end.
This will replace existing equipment currently in use in the laboratory. None of the existing equipment is automated. The new equipment will automate most of the testing performed by our operations staff. The equipment will also allow the results of the testing to be stored in electronic format and allow us the ability to migrate the data into our historical database.
DISCUSSION: Specifications for Bid No. 1314-31 - Auto-Titrator were sent to four (4) vendors and three (3) did not respond. Fisher Scientific and Fox Scientific were unable to deliver the training and installation requested. Hanna Instruments was not able to supply the sophistication required in the instrumentation. Mettler-Toledo submitted the lowest and best bid meeting all specifications for $50,033. Mettler-Toledo is a leading supplier of automated laboratory equipment. They have been providing quality equipment and service to the water, wastewater, food, and oil/gas industries for years.
This equipment will replace existing equipment used by our operations staff for testing of hardness, alkalinity, chloride, pH and fluoride. The equipment will automate the testing and allow for the electronic storage and retrieval of the information. This will eliminate possible typographical errors and reduce the amount of time our staff spend conducting testing and recording data.
.RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Norman Utilities Authority award Bid 1314-31 to the low bidder. This purchase will be made with funds from Tel...
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