Subject:
Title
Agreement for laboratory testing equipment, maintenance, and supplies with the Hach Company.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of a three-year agreement with the Hach Company (HACH) for laboratory testing equipment, maintenance, and supplies.
• HACH supplies the Utilities and other County departments with testing equipment, laboratory reagents, and accessories required for routine water and wastewater testing to comply with state and federal environmental regulations. The reagents are proprietary and manufactured by and only available from HACH.
• Due to testing of public water and citizens served, consistency, accuracy, and uniformity in testing required, some of the results are regulated and reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. County departments have standardized their equipment and materials to HACH products for water testing.
• The Non-Competitive Oversight Committee evaluated and approved the request for this proprietary purchase on January 14, 2021.
• Funds in the amount of $442,640.00 are included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Budget. Funding for future years of this agreement will likely be requested in future budgets. The contract includes a fiscal non-funding clause should that portion of the budget not be approved.
Contract No. 24-0638-N Hach Agreement for equipment and maintenance with an estimated annual expenditure of $349,783.93 for a total amount not to exceed $1,049,351.79 for the three-year contract term; Authorize the Chairman to sign and the Clerk of the Circuit Court to attest.
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Strategic Plan:
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.3 Protect and improve the quality of our water, air, and other natural resources
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resource
Summary:
Summary
This HACH contract covers equipment, accessories, supplies, and services to meet regulatory requirements and process control testing needs. It will allow the County to purchase reagents and parts for analyzers and lab equipment currently in use while keeping the current warranties in effect.
The reagents, supplies, and accessories are manufactured by and only available from HACH. HACH does not recognize or authorize any other service organization to repair or recalibrate its analyzers. HACH’s factory-trained service personnel are the only personnel authorized to perform any repair, start-up service, or maintenance. Per HACH, unauthorized repairs and use of non-HACH-supplied parts will result in voiding an instrument's warranty. All parts used in HACH instruments meet the manufacturer's specifications and conform to the warranty standards.
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Background Information:
A notice of intent to sole source laboratory testing equipment, maintenance, and supplies was advertised by the Purchasing Division via OpenGov on June 26, 2024. There were no responses to the advertisement.
This Agreement provides a mechanism for the County to purchase testing equipment, chemicals, and laboratory supplies. The primary user of this contract is the Utilities Department with occasional use by Public Works, Solid Waste, and Safety and Emergency Services Departments. HACH is the current vendor to the Utilities Department and has supplied its proprietary items since the 1990s with a proven track record. The County has standardized its water and wastewater testing procedures historically, by using a combination of high-quality and reliable reagents, supplies, and testing accessories, along with water quality monitoring equipment supplied by HACH. The County utilizes HACH's knowledge and expertise in servicing of equipment. Other brands have been used in the past that have proved to be less reliable and economical.
Fiscal Impact:
Estimated average annual expenditure: $ 349,783.93
Thirty-six-month total not-to-exceed: $ 1,049,351.79
Funding is derived from the operating budgets of the departments using this contract.
The Agreement is included in the FY25 Adopted Budget. The annual amount expected to be spent on the Agreement is approximately 11.3% greater than in most recent years due to inflationary increases to both labor and chemical/operating supply costs.
Staff Member Responsible:
Jeremy Waugh, Director, Utilities
Merry Celeste, Purchasing Director, Administrative Services
Joe Lauro, Director, Administrative Services.
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Goods Agreement
Exhibit F - Catalog Pricing