Explanation
The purpose of this legislation is to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to extend and increase the contract with Duke's Root Control Inc. for Root Control Services for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage, Sewer Maintenance Operations Center. This is a planned modification.
The Sewer Maintenance Operations Center utilizes the contract for the application of chemical herbicide to prevent growth of tree roots in sanitary sewer lines 8" to 36" in diameter. The original contract language allowed for the contract to be extended two (2) additional years on a year to year basis. This is the first modification option.
The Director of Public Utilities opened formal bids on April 11, 2007. Two (2) bids were received. Both bids were deemed non-responsive for failure to send back the bid package in its entirety however, bid proposals were submitted as was all the required information. Because of that fact both bids were considered for evaluation.
The chemical products offered by both companies were sent to the Surveillance Laboratory and the lab made the following observations:
After evaluation of the bids it was determined that the low bidder, Municipal Sales Inc was found non-responsive to the specifications. The product offered by Municipal Sales Inc did not meet the US EPA listing as a Group E compound, the least hazardous. The product included Meta Sodium and Dichlobenil listed as B2 and C hazardous chemicals respectively. The specifications also prohibited use of any carcinogenic pesticide. Both of the chemicals listed above are designated by the US EPA as carcinogens.
Furthermore, the specifications called for the pesticide to be classified by the US EPA as general use or non-restricted use. The product offered by Municipal Sales is labeled as "Restricted due to acute toxicity".
Therefore in order for the City of Columbus and the Department of Public Utilities to be environmentally responsible, a recommendation was made for ...
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