Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with Kokosing Construction Company Inc. for the repair and installation of a Shan-Rod Damper at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant and to waive the provisions competitive bids.
The Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant has an immediate need for the replacement of the plant's two incinerator emergency bypass dampers. The necessary repairs cannot be accomplished by the City's own forces, with existing supplies and repair parts. The plant has solicited informal quotes for the required services and products from vendors qualified to do the necessary repair work and who are able to mobilize immediately.
The Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant utilizes two multiple hearth incinerators to burn dewatered municipal sludge. These incinerators need to process an average of 240 wet tons of sludge per day in order for the plant to maintain its sludge inventory at an acceptable level and operate at peak efficiency. On November 26, 2002 the plant experienced a fire on the main belt conveyor that runs over the top of the incinerators and feeds dewatered sludge into the incinerators. The investigation determined that the cause of the fire was No. 4 incinerator's induced draft fan tripped off and the inside the incinerator was pressurized, blowing fire out the incinerator feed conveyor feed port because the incinerator's emergency bypass damper failed to open as designed. An inspection of the damper failed to determine the exact cause of the failure, however operational tests showed that the damper would no longer open reliably at the current operating temperatures. Realignment of the damper shaft, bearings and damper actuator did not improve damper operation. Consequently, the plant had to revise its normal operating temperature for #1 (top) hearth of No. 4 Incinerator downward approximately 100 degrees F in order to get the damper to operate. Lowering the operating temperature of the #1 hearth causes more THC to be released into the atmosphere and operates the incinerator closer to its allowable limit for THC emissions, increasing the risk of violation. The inspection also revealed that the emergency bypass dampers on both incinerators were significantly warped.
Since the initial problem plant personnel have been working with the damper manufacturer to develop a new emergency bypass damper design constructed from more temperature resistant materials to withstand the high temperatures at which the incinerators now need to be operated to minimize THC emissions. Funds were added to Southerly's 2003 Plant Improvement Project Program to facilitate the fabrication and installation of upgraded emergency bypass dampers for both plant incinerators.
The estimated completion time for the installation of new emergency bypass dampers is 7 days per furnace after the new dampers are received. One furnace will be taken off line, repaired and placed back in service before the second incinerator is taken off line. This will allow the plant to continue to dispose of the maximum amount of sludge by incineration, although at a reduced capacity.
The situation is extremely critical. If the operation of No. 4 emergency bypass damper becomes more unreliable the plant may be forced into removing the incinerator from service indefinitely. Having one of the plant's incinerators out of service for an extended period of time severely impacts the plant's ability to process and dispose of the required amounts of sludge on a daily basis. The plant does not have available sludge storage areas to accept the 120 wet tons of sludge per day normally incinerated by No. 4 incinerator. The Division's Composting Facility cannot accept that amount of additional sludge indefinitely. The plant's land application program is severely limited by the extremely wet weather the Columbus area has experienced over the past few months. It is mandatory that the plant act immediately to complete emergency repairs to both incinerators in order to provide a safe working environment for plant personnel and to avoid violating the plant's NPDES permit to operate.
Informal quotes were solicited from three (3) contractors chosen because they're contract compliant and plant management felt their mobilization costs would be minimal since they have equipment and personnel on site. A bid tabulation follows:
Kokosing Construction Company Inc.$141,214.00
PAE & Associates, Inc. $248,000.00
Ameritcon Declined To Quote
Supplier: Kokosing Construction Company Inc. (31-1023518)
FISCAL IMPACT: $141,214.00 is budgeted for this project.
Emergency action is being requested so that work on replacing and installing the dampers can be done at the earliest date possible.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into contract with Kokosing Construction Company Inc for the repair and installation of dampers at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant within the Division of Sewerage and Drainage, to waive the provisions of competitive bidding, to authorize the expenditure of $141,214.00 from the Sewerage System Operating Fund, and to declare an emergency. ($141,214.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant has an immediate need for the repair and installation of dampers in the No. 4 incinerator, and,
WHEREAS, this has resulted in the Division of Sewerage and Drainage to solicit informal quotes and have accepted the lowest bid obtained, and,
WHEREAS, the Division of Sewerage and Drainage requests to waive the provisions of Columbus City Code 329.06, relating to the competitive bidding requirements, and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Sewerage and Drainage in that it is immediately necessary to enter into contract for repair and installation of dampers at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Kokosing Construction Company Inc for repair and installation of dampers at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant within the Division of Sewerage and Drainage.
Section 2. That the expenditure of $141,214.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, be and the same hereby is authorized from the Sewerage System Operating Fund, Fund No. 650, OCA 604793, Object Level 1: 06, Object Level 03: 6624 to pay for the cost thereof.
Section 3. That the provisions of Section 329.06 of the Columbus City Codes are hereby waived.
Section 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, where is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure, which shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same