Approval is requested for the award of a contract to Quantum Analytics of Foster City to furnish and install a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system for the Water Pollution Control Plant Laboratory.

The Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) laboratory uses gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GCMS) technology for volatile organic analyses in drinking water and wastewater samples. To maintain State-issued certification, which is required by State and Federal permits and mandates, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Methods 514.2 and 8260 (614) must be utilized in the analysis process.

The two City-owned Finnegan MAT GCMS Systems used by laboratory staff were rendered obsolete in 1996 by revisions to the EPA Methodology. Subsequently, staff outsourced these services to State-certified analytic laboratories. However, changes in the environmental testing industry in the past few years have encouraged staff to bring testing back in-house. Price increases have been frequent. In addition, the rigors of California State Certification have driven many testing laboratories out of state; and the remaining laboratories are consolidating, thus reducing the supplier pool for time sensitive tests. On several occasions, staff was able to locate only one State-certified laboratory for certain NPDES permit tests which could have been problematic if that source had been backed up.

In response to these market conditions, staff conducted an extensive investigation of all available GCMS systems and determined that the HP/Agilent system is the most appropriate for the City's needs. Staff, therefore, recommended that Council authorize a sole source procurement of this system. On November 11, 2001, Council awarded a contract to Quantum Analytics for a new HP/Agilent GCMS system to replace one of two obsolete systems at the Water Pollution Control Plant laboratory (RTC 01-372).

Staff now recommends the award of a second sole source contract to Quantum Analytics for the replacement of the second obsolete system. Section 2.08.070(b) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code exempts from competitive bidding contracts for which the City's requirements can be met solely by a single proprietary article available from a single source. In this instance, the HP/Agilent GCMS system is proprietary; and the factory authorized dealer for HP/Agilent products in the Bay Area is Quantum Analytics.

Total cost to the City will be $69,475 (plus applicable sales tax) which represents a 7% discount from list price. Funds are available in Public Works Equipment Replacement Account #020200.