CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Bid 25-149, Liquid Cationic Emulsion Polymer for Centrifuge Dewatering, to Polydyne, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $409,691.10 and for a 30-month term
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DEPARTMENT: Water Utilities
SUBMITTED BY: Darrell Blenniss, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
In June 2025, the Water Utilities issued Bid 25-149, Liquid Cationic Emulsion Polymer for Centrifuge Dewatering, to seek a qualified vendor to supply liquid cationic emulsion polymer for use at the City’s Springbrook Water Reclamation Center (SWRC). This polymer is used to dewater the residual solids from the wastewater treatment process.
As part of the bid process, qualified polymer vendors’ products were tested at full plant scale conditions and evaluated for optimum performance. The performance testing established agreed upon representative dosages to accomplish required results per the Utilities’ specifications for centrifuge dewatering. Vendors’ dosages were determined as a prerequisite prior to the bid cost numbers being submitted.
DISCUSSION:
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Advertisement Date: |
06/18/2025 |
Notices Sent: |
103 |
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Bid Opening Date: |
10/01/2025 |
Planholders: |
11 |
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|
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Responses Received: |
2 |
Bids were received from the following vendors:
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Vendor Name |
Bid Amount |
Bid Equalization Factor1 |
Equalized Bid Amount |
|
Polydyne Inc. |
$409,691.10 |
($74,509.00) |
$335,182.10 |
|
Solenis LLC |
$354,981.25 |
- |
$354,981.25 |
1 The bid equalization factor is the dollar value of reduced disposal costs associated with the polymer vendor’s product.
The bidding criteria were based on the price per pound of polymer and dosage needed to produce up to 6,500 dry tons of biosolids for land application. One other vendor conducted plant-scale polymer trials but did not submit a bid.
For bid comparison purposes, a bid equalization factor is calculated to give credit for polymers that can produce a drier cake (dewatered biosolids), resulting in a lower volume of biosolids for disposal. Although Solenis has a lower bid, Polydyne was able to produce a drier cake. The total cake solids value used to determine the Bid Equalization Factor was the average of the three laboratory results achieved during the Competitive Performance Evaluation (Phase 3) two-hour performance proving run. The Bid Equalization Factor did not apply to average cake solids between 19% and 20%. For cake solids 20.1% and higher, the savings in disposal costs were calculated as the cost to dispose of 20% cake minus the cost to dispose of the drier cake. After applying the bid equalization factor, Polydyne’s equalized bid amount is lower.
The term of this contract is 30 months from January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 with three one-year options to extend.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP: N/A
Polymer is expensed to the salt and chemical account listed below. A total of $235,560.00 is budgeted for centrifuge dewatering polymer in 2026. The 2026 award amount is $163,876.44, which is favorable to the budget. The remainder of this award will be budgeted appropriately in 2027 and 2028.
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Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
|
41251530-541409 |
Water Utilites |
$374,510 |