Item 8 - Switchgear Breaker Contract — original pdf

Backup

Item 8 Water & Wastewater Commission: March 12, 2025 Council: March 27, 2025 ..Title Posting Language Recommend approval to authorize a contract for a mobile medium voltage switchgear breaker for Austin Water with Graybar Electric Company, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $159,893. Funding: $159,893 is available in Austin Water’s Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget. ..Body Lead Department Financial Services Department. Client Department(s) Austin Water. Purchasing Language: The Financial Services Department issued an Invitation for Bids solicitation IFB 2200 RBB1005REBID for these goods. The solicitation was issued on November 12, 2024, and closed on December 19, 2024. Of the two offers received, the recommended contractor submitted the lowest responsive offer. A complete solicitation package, including a tabulation of the bids received, is available for viewing on the City’s website. This information can currently be found at https://financeonline.austintexas.gov/afo/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=141900 . MBE/WBE: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the goods required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established. Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action: March 12, 2025 – To be reviewed by the Water and Wastewater Commission. Additional Backup Information: This contract is for a single mobile medium voltage switchgear breaker to power large emergency generators for extended power during outages or extreme weather events. The breaker will isolate power between a medium voltage transformer (15kV) and the pump station utility transformer. The breaker will allow the utility to become more resilient during extreme weather events or power failures that affect the incoming power to a critical pumping station. The breaker provides a contingency plan that follows the Federal Power Act and Texas Senate (SB 3) regarding preparing for, preventing, and responding to weather emergencies. Austin Water has already purchased emergency generators with low voltages, as such the breaker will be used between the low generator voltages to isolate and protect the equipment. If a contract is not secured, Austin Water’s resiliency goal will be hindered because the department will not be able to isolate power during extreme weather or power failures, which will result in higher operational costs due to loss of power.