Sparks City Council Meeting (following the Special Meeting) 11/13/2018 2:00:00 PM

    Tuesday, November 13, 2018 2:00 PM
    Council Chambers, Legislative Building, 745 4th Street, Sparks, NV

General Business: 9.8

Title: Consideration, discussion and possible approval to purchase methanol from Thatcher Chemical Company at the mark-up rate of $0.6382/gallon, using the joinder provision of the City of Las Vegas/National IPA contract #150063-SK-A (estimated annual cost - $1,900,000).
Petitioner/Presenter: John A. Martini, P.E.-Community Services Director/Kim Laber, TMWRF Maintenance Manager
Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council approve the purchase of methanol from Thatcher Chemical Company of California at the mark-up rate of $0.6382/gallon.
Financial Impact: Fund 5605 Program 131505 Account 603330
Total Costs: $1,900,000.00
Fund: Joint Treatment Plant    Account: 603330
Program: TMWRF Operations (131505)
Amount: $1,900,000.00    Budget Status: Budget Exists
Budget Correction Plan:
There is currently $3.5 million in Program 131505.
Business Impact (Per NRS 237):
    
A Business Impact Statement is not required because this is not a rule.
Agenda Item Brief:

Staff is asking City Council approval to purchase methanol from Thatcher Chemical Company through the 2018-19 National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (NIPA) contract for the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility at a mark-up rate of $0.6382/gallon.



Background:

Methanol is used at TMWRF in the denitrification reactor, the final step in the removal of nitrogen from the wastewater.  The current contract with Thatcher chemical is expiring and is not able to be extended.  Methanol is purchased based on the Argus/JJA Fob Truck/Rail commodity price plus mark-up.  The commodity price varies monthly, causing the cost to TMWRF to vary.  Over the last 2 years the unit price of methanol has varied between $1.48 and $1.89 per gallon.  



Analysis:

If approved, the City of Sparks would be directly purchasing methanol from Thatcher Chemical Company utilizing the contract offered by the National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (NIPA) which is a group purchasing organization similar to others used in the purchase of goods and services in the City of Sparks.  In this case, NIPA is marketing a contract originally bid and awarded by the City of Las Vegas for the provision of various water treatment chemicals, including methanol.  This practice allows the City to purchase the chemicals directly from the supplier without the requirement to go to formal bid, as allowed by NRS 332.115 and NRS 332.195. Based on current plant usage, the estimated annual cost for methanol is $1,900,000.



Alternatives:
  1. The City Council can approve the purchase as outlined by staff.
  2. The City Council can direct the Manager to have staff competitively bid the purchase.


Recommended Motion:

I move to approve the purchase of methanol from Thatcher Chemical Company at the mark-up rate of $0.6382/gallon, using the joinder provision of the City of Las Vegas/National IPA contract #150063-SK-A, with an estimated annual cost of $1,900,000.



Attached Files:
     9.8 2019 Methanol Pricing 9-6-18.pdf
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