Title
Staff Report for City of San Leandro City Council Resolution to Approve a Consulting Services Agreement with Ethosoft, Inc. for an Amount Not to Exceed $54,305 for the Installation and Configuration and First Year of Service of a Laboratory Information Management System; to Authorize Cumulative Agreement Amendments up to 10% ($5,430); and Approve Appropriation of Funds from the Water Pollution Control Plant Fund Balance Reserves of $43,065
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends adoption of the proposed resolution that authorizes the City Manager to execute an agreement with Ethosoft, Inc. and approves appropriation of funding from the Water Pollution Control Plant Fund Balance Reserves of $43,065.
BACKGROUND
The laboratory at the Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) plays a critical role in maintaining regulatory compliance and process control for the plant. The lab tests the wastewater that flows into the Plant, the water that flows out of the plant, and at critical process control points in the Plant. The lab also monitors the biosolids produced at the plant and the water quality at the recycled water stations.
The laboratory at the Plant receives its accreditation from the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) of the State Water Resources Control Board. Starting in October 2020, ELAP will require accredited laboratories to implement a nationally accepted standard, called The NELAC Institute Standard or TNI, for managing all factors that can affect quality of lab results. By October 2023, the laboratory will have to be fully compliant with TNI in order to remain in compliance and maintain its accreditation. Up to this point, laboratory staff have been using paper and a system of spreadsheets to manage samples and data. However, in order to meet the additional auditing and documentation requirements of TNI at current laboratory staffing levels, a more formal data management system is necessary.
In addition to enabling compliance with upcoming regulations, the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) would also reduce staff time spent on duplicate data entry, facilitate reporting, and streamline process analyses and other routine tasks. Configuring and implanting a LIMS can be a long and time-consuming process. Staff recommends the LIMS installation now in order to meet the October 2023 deadline.
Because the San Leandro laboratory also acts as the contracted laboratory for the East Bay Dischargers Authority (EBDA), EBDA staff recommends that the City be reimbursed for half the cost of the LIMS system, including both the upfront configuration costs and the ongoing maintenance fees.
Analysis
The City issued a Request for Proposals in April 2020, which was posted on the City’s website. Staff sent emails to LIMS vendors likely to be interested in submitting a proposal. Six vendors submitted proposals. Staff ranked the proposals, participated in product demonstrations with four vendors and checked the references for the top two vendors. Ethosoft was selected because it met all the requirements set forth by the City, the product appears to be easy to learn and use and they had excellent references. Based on a five-year total cost of ownership, Ethosoft’s proposal was the second lowest of the four proposals that met the City’s requirements.
Applicable General Plan Policies
• Policy CSF 6.4: Wastewater Collection and Treatment. Maintain efficient, environmentally sound, and cost-effective wastewater collection and treatment services in San Leandro
Fiscal Impacts
The proposed agreement with Ethosoft includes $43,065 for initial configuration, set up and training. The first year of service after the system is configured will be $11,240 and Ethosoft has agreed to hold any price increases to 5% or less for the first 5 years. EBDA staff will recommend to its Board that the City be reimbursed for 50% of the upfront and maintenance costs.
Budget Authority
The Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget included $41,700 for this project. However, because the proposal deadline was extended due to the COVID-19 emergency and because staff underwent a thorough selection process, staff requests an appropriation from the Water Pollution Control Plant Fund Balance reserves of $43,065 in Fiscal Year 2020-21 into 593-51-002-5120 for this project. There are sufficient funds in the wastewater operations budget to pay for the first year of annual maintenance.
ATTACHMENT
• Request for Proposals 58205 Laboratory Information Management System
PREPARED BY:
Justin Jenson, Water Pollution Control Plant Manager
Hayes Morehouse, Water Pollution Control Plant Administrative Analyst