Utilities committee approves emergency procurement ordinances for Department of Public Utilities

At a Utilities Committee meeting, members approved a package of emergency ordinances authorizing the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to enter into multiple requirement contracts to maintain facilities and emergency systems. The ordinances cover landscaping, fuels for backup generators, proprietary meter testing equipment and software, debris disposal, fencing and gates, HVAC maintenance, and backup electrical gear and underground storage tank testing.

The director of public utilities told the committee the landscaping contracts will cover turf, trees, shrubs, rain gardens and litter removal at DPU facilities and city rights-of-way and that the department "anticipate[s] our budget $2,000,000 over the 2 years, approximately $1,000,000." The landscaping work will be bid as multiple contracts by geography and size to attract more vendors, the director said.

The committ…