Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorization to award a contract to purchase one (1) trailer mounted vacuum excavator to Ditch Witch West of Fowler, CA. through a piggy-back contract via the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for a total purchase price of $114,380.72 (EQ0160) and appropriate an additional $10,000 from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund (431).
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Deadline for Action: Quote expiration 12/12/2021
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Brad Crim, Wastewater Plant Superintendent, brad.crim@visalia.city, 713-4176
Nick Mascia, Assistant City Manager, nick.mascia@visalia.city, 713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends City Council to authorize the City Manager to award a contract to Ditch Witch West of Fowler, CA through a piggy-back contract via the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for supply and delivery of (1) trailer mounted vacuum excavator in the amount of $114,380.72 and appropriate an additional $10,000 from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund (431). (Project number 4330-72000/EQ0160-999)
Background Discussion:
Historically, there are several maintenance activities that require the use of a Wastewater Collection vacuum truck or rental trailer. These activities range from pumping scum out of pits or holding tanks, to removing large quantities of sludge for aeration tank maintenance at the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). Currently, WRF does not own a vacuum trailer. As a result, this maintenance activity requires the WRF to rent equipment or use the Wastewater Collection staff and large vacuum truck. It is not ideal to use the Wastewater Collection crew or vacuum truck since they are responsible for all the sewer, storm water, and waterway infrastructure within the City of Visalia. Some WRF activities can be scheduled, such as aeration tank maintenance. While others, for example removing foam out of the sludge transfer station, are done as needed when issues arise. If Wastewater Collections has a full schedule or rental equipment is unavailable these projects or solutions are also delayed. These delays can result in overtime for WRF staff and can be very costly as scum or foam infiltrates pieces of equipment like pumps causing cavitation, loss of suction, and call out alarms. Purchasing a vacuum trailer for the WRF will allow staff to perform preventive maintenance and respond to emergency situations right away.
The following breakdown is the cost for scheduling the Wastewater Collections staff and vacuum truck to come into the Wastewater Treatment Plant for two days to correct a problem.
|
Item/Personnel |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Hourly cost |
Total |
|
Sr. Operator |
2 hours |
2 hours |
$66.50 |
$266.00 |
|
Operator 3 |
2 hours |
2 hours |
$59.01 |
$236.04 |
|
Maint. Mech. |
2 hours |
2 hours |
$52.94 |
$211.76 |
|
Sr. Maint. Worker |
8 hours |
8 hours |
$51.87 |
$829.92 |
|
Fuel for Equipment |
15gal |
15gal |
$4.39 |
$131.70 |
|
*Equipment Cost (based on expected lifetime usage) |
8 hours |
8 hours |
$120.00 |
*$1920.00 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
$3,595.42 |
The *Equipment Cost to rent a vacuum trailer, or similar equipment, for a two-day project is *$2,082.00 (based on a 2018 invoice), which increases the total cost identified above to $3,757.42. Since 2018, the last time equipment was leased, Wastewater collections staff has been tasked with stressing their schedule to do plant maintenance for 2 days every other month. They have also had to accommodate, to the best of their abilities, any emergencies that occurred within the site facilities. However, it is increasingly more difficult for this division to assist on a regular basis as the community grows.
At a minimum the WRF would use the vacuum trailer 24 times a year for emergency or unplanned issues. If this equipment was rented, this would cost $49,968 annually. At this cost, the payback for purchasing would be 3 years. Having the equipment on site would result in more preventative use than emergency.
In addition, this piece of equipment functions as a hydro-excavator which is used to expose pipelines, duct banks, conduits, and other buried infrastructure. This capability would be used at the WRF to prevent the risk of damaging infrastructure. The less easily quantified costs are those of having the proper equipment to operate a preventative maintenance program. The wear and tear on much of the equipment, the time it takes to correct novel problems, and the peace of mind of knowing that all the pumps, lines, valves, and tanks are able to be kept in good working order easily. Most of these pieces of equipment are tens of thousands of dollars. Replacing a pump from the interstage pump station could cost anywhere from $70,000-80,000. The insurance that those pumps, at that cost, would continue operating as intended well into the twilight of, or beyond, the manufacturers recommendation is the largest benefit to a vacuum trailer at the plant.
As a government entity, the City can “piggy-back” on various pre-negotiated contracts. Among those is the Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperative, which uses a competitive bid process to select products and suppliers from a variety of categories. Ditch Witch West of Fowler has undergone this process and has been designated as a low-cost supplier for vacuum excavator equipment.
This piece of equipment is not offered in Tulare County, the local preference policy was followed.
Fiscal Impact:
The portable vacuum trailer purchase was approved in the Wastewater Enterprise Fund (431) 20/21 budget for $109,000.00. (Project EQ0160). Staff is recommending the appropriation of an additional $10,000 bringing the total CIP to $119,000.
|
Budget Summary: |
|
|
Total Project Budget: EQ0160 (Fund 431) |
$109,000.00 |
|
Estimated Costs: |
|
|
Ditch Witch HX-50A Vacuum Excavator |
$114,380.72 |
|
Total Estimated Costs: |
$114,380.72 |
|
Estimated Budget Shortfall: |
$(5,380.72) |
|
|
|
|
Appropriation request from Fund 431 |
$10,000.00 |
Alternatives:
Alternative 1: Continue to rent equipment or schedule other division staff when available. This is not recommended due to the risk of continued wear on existing permanent equipment as well as delaying projects within the treatment plant and/or collections system.
Alternative 2: Proceed with standalone RFB instead of Sourcewell piggy-back. This is not recommended due to time delays and potential for bids to come in higher than the Sourcewell price. Delays also increase the price of the units as steel prices remain volatile.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to award a contract to Ditch Witch West of Fowler, CA. through Sourcewell Cooperative contract piggy-back in an amount of $114,380.72 for the purchase of (1) vacuum excavator and appropriate $10,000 from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund (431).
end
Attachments:
Sourcewell Quote
Ditch Witch Specifications