TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolutions authorizing City Manager to execute contracts with Elster American Meter Company LLC, of Nebraska City, NE, and Meter, Valve & Control, of Alamo, CA, to furnish and deliver gas meters and other services and parts, without advertising for bids, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $350,000 per year for a period of two years, with the option of renewing for one additional one-year period at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into contracts with Elster American Meter Company LLC (Elster), and Meter, Valve & Control (MVC), for furnishing and delivering meters and related equipment and services to be used by the Long Beach Gas and Oil Department (LBGO), in order to facilitate LBGO’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project that was authorized by City Council on June 10, 2014. The implementation of AMI includes the installation and/or retrofit of approximately 150,000 gas meters. The requested contracts are for necessary miscellaneous parts associated with the meter work.
LBGO historically utilizes various sole source distributors for specific meter types and meter parts in its normal operations of the gas system. This is necessary due to the multiple types and manufacturers of meters currently in place throughout LBGO’s utility system. Elster is the sole manufacturer and distributor of proprietary meters and regulators used for commercial customers, and MVC is the sole distributor of proprietary meter equipment used for light-duty commercial and residential customers. LBGO requests authorization to execute contracts with Elster and MVC to purchase meters, regulators, and miscellaneous parts to be used during the course of AMI project implementation.
City Charter Section 1801 requires that contracts for City purchases be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after a competitive bid process, but allows for awards without a competitive bid proce...
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