Post Falls council declares sole-source procurement for water reclamation dewatering unit

At its meeting, the Post Falls City Council approved a sole-source declaration to procure a second dewatering unit from BDP for the city's Water Reclamation Facility, and authorized staff to publish public notice and begin contract negotiations for the equipment.

The item, presented by Andrew Arbini, projects division manager for Public Works, recapped a solids-handling improvements project that began with a design contract awarded in July. Arbini said the facility's original BDP unit was installed when the dewatering building was constructed around February 2010 and that the slab already contains footings sized for a second BDP unit. He told the council the city's project team reviewed alternatives and found other vendors either had longer lead times or higher preliminary cost estimates. "The contract with BDP will just be for the purchase of the dewatering unit itself, that piece of equipment," Arbini said. "It's estimated that the delivery time will be 12 months from notice of fabrication." (Arbini)

Why it matters: Council and staff said compatibility with existing equipment, a stocked inventory of replacement parts and a shorter delivery schedule are the primary reasons for asking the council to declare BDP a sole-source vendor. Staff said the procurement would mitigate a redundancy risk: the facility currently has a primary dewatering unit and an older backup unit that does not produce at the same rate.

Staff described the next steps: if the council declares the vendor sole source, staff will publish a 14-day public notice as required by statute and the city's purchasing policy and proceed to negotiate a contract that would specify price, delivery schedule and other terms for the single purchase of the unit. Installation of the unit would be covered separately. Arbini said staff is drafting an RFQ/RFP to hire a construction manager/general contractor (CMGC) who would handle installation and construction work; the CMGC selection would return to council for approval.

Council members asked several clarifying questions during discussion. They pressed on whether the sole-source declaration would bind the city for future purchases, on the risk of becoming locked into a single vendor, and on how much adapting the existing facility would cost if a different manufacturer were used. Arbini said the sole-source declaration applies only to this contract for a single unit and that another manufacturer could be chosen for future contracts. He also said adapting the current footprint or stocking parts for a different brand would factor into any competing bid, and that prior design choices (slab footings sized for BDP) informed the recommendation.

Staff and the project team cited a memorandum from JUB (J-U-B) Engineers that analyzed the need for a second dewatering unit and recommended sole-source procurement; that memo was included in the council packet. Arbini also referenced Idaho Code as the statutory basis for sole-source procurement and the city's purchasing policy.

Action: Council approved the sole-source declaration and authorized staff to publish notice and negotiate a contract to purchase the second dewatering unit from BDP. The vote on the motion passed; one councilor (Davis) was excused. Staff estimated a 9' to 12-month lead time for equipment fabrication and delivery.

The council's decision does not finalize installation or any construction contract. Staff said they will return with a negotiated procurement contract for council approval and with a CMGC contract recommendation for installation at a later meeting.