Subject: S50-L25541E - Approve an Ordinance Authorizing an Interlocal Agreement for Analytical Laboratory Testing Services between the City and the Department of State Health Services for the Department of Public Works and Engineering.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
The Director of the Department of Public Works and Engineering and the City Purchasing Agent recommend that City Council approve an ordinance authorizing an Interlocal Agreement for analytical laboratory testing services between the City and the Department of State Health Services in an amount not to exceed $54,000.00 for a one-year term from September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2016 for the Department of Public Works and Engineering. The contractor will be required to perform laboratory testing of the City’s drinking water to ensure compliance with Federal, State and local regulations.
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended in 1996, authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and enforce rules and regulations that govern drinking water quality nationally. The EPA has authorized the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to administer the program in the State of Texas. The EPA and the TCEQ require that all public water systems be regularly monitored for compliance with established limits for approximately 90 regulated and up to 26 unregulated chemical, physical, microbiological and radiological contaminants. Samples are collected from approximately 85 locations in the City of Houston’s water system and analyzed either quarterly, annually or tri-annually depending on the regulated contaminant and source of water. These certified analyses are reported to the TCEQ and the City of Houston. TCEQ reports to the EPA the compliance status of each system, based on these results.
The Department of State Health Services will continue testing the City’s potable drinking water samples, including potable drinking water samples from other public water systems the City may acquire during the term of this Agreement, using EPA methodology and any additional analyses as required by the EPA or TCEQ.
This recommendation is made pursuant to Chapter 791 of the Texas Local Government Code, entitled the Interlocal Cooperation Act for exempt procurement.
MWBE Subcontracting:
This procurement is exempt from M/WBE subcontracting because the department is utilizing an Interlocal or Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for this purchase.
Hire Houston First:
This procurement is exempt from the City’s Hire Houston First Ordinance because the department is utilizing an Interlocal or Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for this purchase.
Pay or Play Program:
This procurement is exempt from the City’s ‘Pay or Play’ Ordinance because the department is utilizing an Interlocal or Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for this purchase.
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Calvin D. Wells, City Purchasing Agent Department Approval Authority Signature
Finance/Strategic Procurement Division