Sodium Bisulfite (SBS) is used to bind free chlorine after the disinfection process to prevent it from having an effect on the receiving water. TMWRF has a limit of no more than 0.1 mg/l free chlorine in the plant effluent.  The plant uses approximately 150 gallons of SBS per day.

If approved, the City of Sparks will be utilizing a contract offered by the NIPA which is a group purchasing organization similar to others used for the purchase of goods and services. This practice allows the City to purchase the chemicals directly from the supplier without the requirement to go to formal bid, as permitted by NRS 332.115 and NRS 332.195.  The NIPA contract price of $0.15/lb represents an approximate 27% increase from the current price of $0.117/lb.  Staff believes there would not be any improvement in the price if the contract was competitively bid by the City of Sparks at this time. The contract cost will be shared pro-rata between the Cities of Sparks and Reno based on the current influent flow split to TMWRF.  The City of Sparks’ share will be approximately $60,200/year.

1. City Council could reject the joinder and direct the City Manager to have staff comptetitively bid the purchase of Sodium Bisulfite.
2. City Council can approve the joinder as presented.

I move to approve the purchase of Sodium Bisulfate from Thatcher Company of California at a cost of $0.15 per pound, using the joinder provision of an existing National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance contract, with an estimated annual cost of $172,000.