City staff on Tuesday moved forward several procurement recommendations that the Hot Springs Board of Directors will be asked to approve at its Dec. 2 meeting.

Manny Ledbetter, utilities director, told the board staff received multiple proposals for compost testing and ranked Environmental Services Company Inc. highest because it can perform required coliform and salmonella tests that another bidder could not. The recommendation is to award a term contract to Environmental Services for compost testing.

Ledbetter also recommended awarding a term contract to Univar Solutions USA Inc. for sodium hydroxide solution, saying Univar scored highest on availability, price and chemical strength. "This chemical is gonna be used at our water treatment plant," Ledbetter said, and it may also be used at the wastewater treatment plant to adjust pH.

Staff presented a separate purchase request for a replacement grinder engine for the compost facility. Ledbetter said the current 10-year-old engine failed and that Vermeer Mid South Inc. is the sole source able to supply the required engine; staff requested designation of Vermeer as sole source and authorization to purchase the engine for $85,055.13, including installation. Ledbetter said the vendor estimates an assembly lead time of up to eight months and that staff may rent a temporary grinder in the interim.

The board packet also includes a proposed award of line-item term contracts for Smith-Blair parts. Ledbetter said staff ran a line-item bid and recommends awarding specific items to Core & Main LP, Ferguson Water Works LLC, and River Valley Windwater Works based on lowest cost per item; the full bid tabulation is in the packet.

None of these items were voted on during the agenda review; Gill City staff noted the recommendations will be formally considered at the regular meeting on Dec. 2.