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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Michael Houston Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer Maintenance
DATE: November 5th, 2020
SUBJECT:
Purchase of a VAC-CON Model V312HE/1300LHAP Combination Sewer Cleaning Machine from EJ Equipment of Manteno Illinois in the amount of $390,639.00.
PURPOSE:
The purchase of a new combination sewer cleaning machine is needed in order to help ensure that the City of Aurora meets its Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (EPA NPDES) permit requirements, and to minimize sewage basement backups and street flooding.
BACKGROUND:
The US and Illinois EPAs expect municipalities like the City of Aurora to proactively maintain their sewer systems in order to avoid sanitary sewer overflows (SSO's) and minimize pollutants in storm water runoff. SSO's result in raw sewage discharges into the Fox River and other streams as well as basement sewage backups. SSO's are often caused by blockages in publicly owned sewers that could be avoided through regular sewer cleaning.
The City of Aurora's Water and Sewer Maintenance Division is responsible for cleaning approximately 1,200 miles of sanitary, combined, and storm sewers, as well as approximately 16,000 manholes and over 30,000 catch basins. Catch basins are storm inlets designed to protect sewer pipes by trapping debris in sumps. For catch basins to perform properly they need to be cleaned on a regular basis.
The W&S Division currently has three combination sewer cleaning machines. Adding a fourth sewer cleaning machine will help Aurora minimize street flooding, sewage basement backups, and raw sewage discharges.
DISCUSSION:
On September 6, 2020 the City of Aurora's Purchasing Division published an advertisement for bids for the purchase of a new combination sewer cleaning machine. On September 30th, 2020 the City Clerk received and publicly opened 5 bids for the subject purchase. EJ Equipment of Manteno Illinois was the low, responsive, responsible bidder in the amount of $390,639.00. The 2nd low bidder is Standard Equipment in the amount of $394,935.00.
Due to the fact that Standard Equipment is currently leasing property in the City of Aurora, they are considered a local vendor. Ordinances 018-070 and 020-029 allow Aurora to approach Standard Equipment and request that they match EJ Equipment's price. However, Water and Sewer staff are recommending that Aurora purchase the Vac-Con machine supplied by EJ Equipment. Currently, Water and Sewer Maintenance's three sewer cleaning machines are all Vac-Con machines. Water and Sewer Maintenance employees were given a demonstration of the Vactor machine as proposed by Standard Equipment. Due to differences in how the machines operate, Water and Sewer Maintenance staff all prefer the Vac-Con supplied by EJ Equipment over the Vactor supplied by Standard Equipment. The Vactor operates with a single large engine. The Vac-Con uses a two engine system. During vacuum cleaning operations with the Vac-Con, the large drive engine is shut down, and a smaller engine runs the hydraulic system. Due to the two engine design the Vac-Con is much more quiet to operate and allows the crew the ability to communicate with each other more effectively which results in a more safe work environment. Furthermore, since the employees are currently familiar with the Vac-Con and the two machines operate very differently, training costs will be significant if the Vactor by Standard Equipment is purchased. Also, keeping with like equipment will simplify the maintenance and repair work performed by our Fleet Maintenance Division as they are already familiar with the Vac-Con machines.
EJ Equipment also submitted a bid for an alternate machine in the amount of $362,472. The alternate machine has a single engine design similar to the machine proposed by Standard Equipment, and is not a preferred alternative.
City staff also received quotes from EJ Equipment and Standard Equipment via the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative. The price through the Cooperative for Vac-Con was approximately $21,000 higher than the bid price received.
Water and Sewer Maintenance is recommending that Aurora purchase the Vac-Con sewer cleaning machine from EJ Equipment in the amount of $390,639.00. The 2020 budget includes $480,000 in account number 510-4063-511.75-99 within the Water and Sewer Fund for this purchase. Acquiring this machine will result in an increase in Aurora's combination sewer cleaning trucks per the attached approved Decision Package.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The purchase of this sewer cleaning machine will help the City comply with state and federal permit requirements and reduce basement sewer backups and street flooding.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council consider approving the attached resolution.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to purchase a VAC-CON Combination Sewer Cleaning machine from EJ Equipment 6949 N. 3000 E. Rd. Manteno, IL 60950 in the amount of Three Hundred and Ninety Thousand Six Hundred and thirty nine Dollars and no Cents.
($390,639.00).
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, The Director of Purchasing for the City of Aurora advertised for bids on September 6th, 2020 for the purchase of a combination sewer cleaning machine; and
WHEREAS, EJ Equipment of Manteno Illinois submitted the low, responsive bid for a VAC-CON Model V313HE/1300LHAP combination sewer cleaning machine in the amount of Three Hundred and Ninety Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Dollars and no Cents ($390,639.00); and
WHEREAS, the 2020 budget includes funding for this item in account 510-4063-511.75-99 within the Water and Sewer Fund; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: The Director of Purchasing is hereby authorized to purchase a new VAC-CON Model V312/1300LHAP combination sewer cleaning machine for the Water and Sewer Maintenance Division in the amount of Three Hundred and Ninety Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Dollars and no Cents ($390,639.00).