Council approves notice of intent to award AMI contract after discussion of limited bidders

The Columbus City Council voted to approve a notice of intent to award for an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system after councilors and staff discussed bidding rounds and technical differences among proposals.

A council member described the procurement history: when the AMI specifications required cellular capability, several potential bidders who use drive-by or fixed-network solutions dropped out. That councilor said part of the low bidder pool reflected the technical specification the council previously set and said "out of the proposals, you got...the cellular" option, which limited some applicants.

Members named Badger Meter as the vendor under consideration and identified a contact, Kevin Noddings, who councilors said they have known for years; the record included positive references to his experience. One councilor said he had worked with Noddings before and described the vendor relationship as a "seamless transition" for local support.

Councilors noted it would have been preferable to have more bidders but said the chosen vendor offered cellular capability and overall best value and reliability given the city's specified requirements. The council moved to approve the notice of intent to award; the motion was moved by Dennis, seconded by Tim, and carried on roll call.

Why it matters: Selecting an AMI vendor moves the city's utility meters toward remote reading and networked metering; procurement choices about cellular versus fixed-network technologies affect which vendors can compete and the project's technical footprint. The council directed staff to finalize contract paperwork and return with documentation.