Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with Bermex, Inc. in the amount of $2,200,000.00 for Water Meter Reading Services for the Division of Water, recurring monthly and quarterly for predetermined routes within the City of Columbus and contract communities. Services will include data collection through manual reads and radio reads using the Department of Public Utilities’ equipment.
In 2023, the City started a Sensus-based AMI implementation which is currently scheduled to continue into 2027. Once changed to the Sensus system, the meter will no longer need to be read manually and will drop off of the meter reading route. The City is anticipating approximately 10,000 water meters per month will be converted starting near the end of 2024 and continue until the completion of the project. The City is anticipating approximately 2,000 electric meters per month will be converted starting in Spring 2025. As meters are changed to the AMI system, meter reading routes will be consolidated as needed by DPU. The intent of this contract is to bridge the gap between the start of the EMP implementation and its conclusion, where it is expected that meters will be able to be read remotely.
While the AMI project may come to a completion in 2027, it is anticipated that the meter reading services outlined in the RFP may continue until 2030.
PROCUREMENT: The Department of Public Utilities solicited competitive proposals through Vendor Services and Bonfire from September 12th, 2024 to October 11th, 2024 for the Customer Self-Service Portal Solution and Implementation in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code, RFQ028673. Three (3) bids were received by Bermex, Inc., Texas Meter and Device Co., and Olameter Coporation. They were all deemed responsive and were evaluated on November 5th, 2024. The evaluation committee determined that Bermex Inc. submitted the strongest proposal because o...
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