September 23, 1998
TO:Works & Utilities Committee
FROM:Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
SUBJECT:Installation of Four Sludge
Dewatering Centrifuges at the
Main Treatment Plant
Contract MW9803WP
Ward: East Toronto
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to award Contract MW9803WP for installation of four sludge
dewatering centrifuges and process related equipment at the Main Treatment Plant in
accordance with specifications as required by the Works and Emergency Services Department
and to request the authorization to issue a contract to the recommended bidder.
Funding Sources:
Funds are available in the appropriate account for this project.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that Contract MW9803WP for the installation of four sludge dewatering
centrifuges and process related equipment at the Main Treatment Plant be awarded to the
lowest acceptable base tenderer, W.A. Stephenson Mechanical Contractors Limited, for the
Total Lump Sum Price of $4,965,000.00 including all taxes and charges.
Background:
On September 9, 1998, the Bid Committee opened the following tenders for Contract
MW9803WP for the installation of four sludge dewatering centrifuges and process related
equipment at the Main Treatment Plant:
Tenderer |
Total Lump
Sum Price
$ |
W.A. Stephenson Mechanical Contractors Limited |
4,965,000.00 |
Ram Mechanical Contractors Limited |
5,050,000.00 |
Bennett Mechanical Installations Limited |
5,277,000.00 |
Carosi Construction Limited |
6,680,000.00 |
Comments, Discussion and Justification:
The tender submitted by the second lowest tenderer, Ram Mechanical Contractors Limited
(Ram), offered five (5) credits totalling an amount of $110,000.00 in potential savings to the
tendered lump sum price, which, if accepted wholly by the City, would alter the ranking of the
tenderers, making Ram the lowest bidder.
Ram provided, with the tender, minimal information, simply indicating the equipment item,
the supplier's name, and the corresponding credit that would be given. The information
provided at the time of tender closing was insufficient to perform a proper evaluation on the
acceptance of the alternates. In discussions with Ram by staff of the Works and Emergency
Services Department, Ram advised that it was their intent to further discuss and provide
general information and technical data on the five (5) alternates proposed after tender
submission.
The contract specifications require the tenderer to submit detailed information on any
proposed equivalent equipment or material together with any price savings at the time of
tendering. In the absence of these details, we are unable to evaluate the acceptability of the
alternatives in the form submitted. To evaluate and accept Ram's alternatives based on
detailed information submitted after the bids are opened would, in effect, give Ram an unfair
advantage by providing Ram with the opportunity to make specification changes to the
alternatives in order to obtain a favourable recommendation and thereby overtake the
otherwise low bidder in full knowledge of its relevant ranking to the other Tenderers.
Accordingly, it is recommended that Ram's alternatives not be considered so that there will be
no impact on the ranking for contract award. The City Solicitor advises that such a course of
action would be legally unobjectionable.
Representatives of the Works and Emergency Services Department and our consultants have
reviewed the tender submitted by W.A. Stephenson Mechanical Contractors Limited
(Stephenson), and discussed the tender with them. Staff of the Department is satisfied that this
company fully understands the contractual requirements, and has the capability to carry out
the work as specified. Stephenson has successfully carried out work for this Department in the
past.
Stephenson has offered a credit alternative of $20,000.00 which does not impact on the
ranking of the bidders. Accordingly, the credit will be reviewed in detail following award of
contract and if found acceptable will reduce the tendered Lump Sum Price of the contract.
In order to accommodate the existing quantity of sludge treated at the Main Treatment Plant,
and to facilitate ongoing maintenance requirements of the dewatering centrifuges, it has been
determined that four additional centrifuges are needed, bringing the total installed to 12
machines.
Accordingly, at its meeting of August 13, 1997, by adoption of Clause No. 4 of Report No. 11
of the Environment and Public Space Committee, Metro Council awarded Contract
WPC-3-97 in the amount of $3,928,610.00 for the supply of four high efficiency sludge
dewatering centrifuges. These units have been delivered and are currently in storage awaiting
to be installed under this current installation contract. The present contract MW9803WP
includes the construction of necessary building modifications, installation of the equipment to
be furnished under Contract WPC-3-97, and the supply and installation of related sludge
pumping, sludge transfer, and auxiliary equipment necessary to achieve the aforementioned
sludge dewatering firm capacity.
The Manager, Fair Wage and Labour Trades Office, has reported favourably on the firm
recommended.
Conclusion:
This report requests authority to issue a contract for installation of four sludge dewatering
centrifuges and related sludge pumping, transfer and auxiliary equipment at the Main
Treatment Plant in accordance with specifications to W.A. Stephenson Mechanical
Contractors Limited, being the lowest acceptable base tender received.
Contact Name:Contact Name:
Mr. P.A. Bradley, P.Eng., Mr. L.A. Pagano
Senior Project Engineer, Technical Services Division Director
Telephone No.: (416) 392-8251Purchasing and Materials
Management
Telephone No.: (416) 392-7312
T.G. Denes, P.Eng.
Executive Director of Technical Services
B.H. GutteridgeW.A. Liczyk
Commissioner of Works and Emergency ServicesChief Financial Officer
and Treasurer
PAB/ph 1001.20-138
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