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Committee debates $250,000 telemetry pilot; consensus to seek more cost detail before action
Summary
The committee discussed a proposed telemetry pilot with David's Engineering to test multi-brand flow-meter telemetry, but members and growers asked for clearer cost estimates and alternatives before the committee commits to buying the pilot under a $250,000 not-to-exceed contract.
The committee discussed a proposed agreement with David's Engineering Inc. to carry out a flow-meter telemetry pilot and evaluation, with a not-to-exceed amount of $250,000 and a term through April 30, 2026. Staff described the pilot as testing telemetry options among growers who already have telemetry installed, evaluating interoperability among multiple meter brands, and producing a final technical memorandum with recommendations for implementation.
Staff said telemetry could reduce grower and staff labor, provide alerts for leaks and abnormal flows, and make meter use more practical for more growers. The proposed scope included a primary task budget (up to $200,000) for evaluation and testing and a task-2 on-call budget (up to $50,000) for training, grower meetings and direct costs.
Growers and directors raised multiple concerns: the $250,000 ceiling is a substantial expenditure from GSA funds; several commenters asked for a clearer estimate of expected actual costs rather than a high not-to-exceed figure; some urged waiting for other GSAs to pilot multi-brand telemetry and then adopt lessons learned rather than being an early adopter; others said telemetry is already in use by some growers and can be implemented independently. Stakeholders also noted telemetry hardware and installation costs to growers and the potential for ongoing operational charges.
Staff and some directors acknowledged the concerns and said: (1) actual billed amounts have historically been lower than not-to-exceed figures; (2) pilot results could inform a future implementation strategy that might reduce administrative burden; and (3) grant funding may be sought or available for telemetry implementation. After public comment the committee did not record a final vote to award the contract; staff said they would gather additional cost information and consider whether to revise the not-to-exceed amount or defer the project to a later date or pursue grant funding.
The takeaways: the committee supports exploring telemetry in principle but requested a revised scope or cost estimate before approving a contract for the pilot.
