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Council reviews purchase of sewer line rapid assessment tool; staff seeks sole-source waiver
Summary
Public Works demonstrated a sewer line rapid assessment tool (SLRAT) and staff sought council permission to waive formal bidding and purchase one unit for $35,475 using Ford donation funds and budgeted money; council indicated approval on consent at the study meeting.
Livonia Public Works officials described a new acoustic sewer inspection device known as the Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool (SLRAT) and requested council permission to waive the formal bidding process and authorize purchase.
Public Works said staff demoed the device for more than a week and inspected roughly 8,000 feet per day to compare SLRAT acoustic scores (0–10) against follow-up CCTV inspections. Staff recommended buying one unit for $35,475 using $19,442.87 remaining from a Ford donation project and $16,032.13 from budgeted funds. The department said the tool would speed preventive maintenance decisions by identifying lines that need cleaning or filming before they become service issues.
A resident questioned why the city was waiving formal bidding. Department staff and council members said the SLRAT is a sole-source/unique piece of equipment with no close comparables; the administration described prior experience adopting new technologies and noted expected service-life of similar units exceeds a decade with parts available for repair. Council indicated support and offered approval on consent at the study meeting; a formal vote is scheduled for the regular meeting where study items will be considered.
Public Works staff said they will return data from the demo and proposed an implementation program so the city can use the device to prioritize cleaning and filming of sewers and potentially reduce emergency repairs and reactive maintenance.
