Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of two contracts for laboratory equipment with Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc. and Agilent Technologies Inc., each for up to five years for total contract amounts not to exceed $1,170,000, divided between the contractors.
[Note: This procurement was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the goods required for this procurement, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established].
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
All City Departments.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $97,500 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget of various City departments.
Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
Purchasing Language:
Multiple cooperative purchase programs were reviewed for these goods. The Financial Services Department determined these contractors best meet the needs of the client departments to provide these goods required for the City.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500.
Additional Backup Information:
These contracts will provide laboratory equipment from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc. and Agilent Technologies Inc. for various departments. Laboratory equipment includes gas chromatographs, mass spectrometer systems, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometers. These instruments are used to identify, measure, and analyze items such as wastewater, narcotics, toxic substances, organic compounds, and metals. The City’s demand for these instruments has grown due to the increase in stakeholder analysis requests. These contracts will ensure a timely response to future purchase requests when federal funding may be available during limited periods.
This is a new contract. The requested authorization amount was determined using departmental estimates based on historical spend and anticipated future usage. The recommended contractors have previously provided similar goods to the City.
The U.S. General Services Administration through their Advantage cooperative program is a cooperative purchasing association recognized under Texas procurement statutes. Cooperative associations, themselves or using a lead government, competitively solicit and award contracts that are eligible for use by other qualified state and local governments. Due to their substantial volumes, larger than any one government could achieve independently, cooperative contracts routinely include superior terms, conditions, and pricing. Use of cooperative contracts also results in lower administrative costs and time savings.
A delay in contract approval could impact departments’ abilites to respond to increased testing needs.