Council action to award a contract to Utility Packaging and Construction, Inc. (UTPNC), in the amount of $114,782.00, for Substation E Relay Panels for the Power & Light Department.

IPL staff recommends issuing a purchase order for the Substation E Relay Panels.

Substation E is located at 35th and Northern in Independence, Missouri. It is a 69/13 kV distribution substation built in 1974. Substation E services power to surrounding commercial and residential customers with two (2) 20 MVA transformers, via six (6) distribution feeders. The rebuild is warranted due to the age and condition of existing equipment.

Purchasing the relay panels is essential to refurbishment of the Substation. Currently Toth Engineering is developing the Sub E construction specification which includes switchgear and relay panel replacement. Materials such as the relay panels must be purchased in advance of the construction due to the long lead time. Switchgear replacement and associated equipment is recommended to prevent future failures at Substation E.

The Procurement Division issued an invitation to bid (ITB) for the panels on January 7, 2022. The ITB was publicly available on the City’s e-bidding service provider, Public Purchase. Forty (40) potential bidders were notified, five (5) accessed the bid.

One bid was obtained for the Sub E relay panels from UTPNC. UTPNC was responsive by accepting the City’s Terms and Conditions and complied with the technical bid requirements.

UTPNC’s bid of $114,782.00 is $4,782.00 above the engineer’s estimate of $110,000.00. Approval of this item authorizes Power & Light to approve change orders up to 10% of the approved amount.

The fiscal impact to the City is $114,782.00. Funding for the Substation E project is included in the 20/21 fiscal year proposed budget, page number 154 and in the 21/22 fiscal year proposed budget, page number 199, account number 70201804 5406 1714.