Title
Proposed Amendment No. 1
Contract No. 2102026
Aura Smart Water Technology Platform
O&M
Body
Agenda of: March 21, 2024
Item No.: 2024-093
Amount: Original Contract Initial (3-Year) Term $1,217,500.00
Original Year 1 Optional Renewal Term 347,500.00
Original Year 2 Optional Renewal Term 347,500.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Original Contract 118,474.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Renewal Year 1 118,263.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Renewal Year 2 118,263.00
Total Revised Contract $2,267,500.00
TO: The Honorable
Board of Directors
Great Lakes Water Authority
FROM: Suzanne R. Coffey, P.E.
Chief Executive Officer
Great Lakes Water Authority
DATE: March 1, 2024
RE: Proposed Amendment No. 1
Contract No. 2102026
Aura Smart Water Technology Platform
Vendor: Aquasight, LLC
MOTION
Upon recommendation of Jody Caldwell, Chief Planning Officer, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), authorizes the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to enter into Contract No. 2102026, Proposed Amendment No. 1, “Aura Smart Water Technology Platform” with Aquasight, LLC, for an increased cost of $118,474.00 for a total cost of $1,335,974.00 for a duration of three (3) years. For each renewal, an additional increased cost of $118,263.00 for the two (2) one-year renewal options for total renewal costs of $931,526.00. The total contract amount is not to exceed $2,267,500.00 with no increase in time for a total duration of three (3) years with two (2) one (1) year renewal options; and authorizes the CEO to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
BACKGROUND
The AURA tool is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based smart water platform with built-in visualization, data analytics and artificial intelligence. It merges pressures, flows, water quality data, GIS files, hydraulic models, and smart meter data. It enables communities to have predictive and proactive water quality data available and to have daily updates on sampling results, historical and seasonal trends and identifies areas that may need attention. The tool also keeps track of a community’s flushing program with dead end and stagnant main views in the application. The tool also assists with lead service line management by allowing communities to build their inventory of lead service lines and keep track of which lines have already been replaced. The application integrates with community hydraulic models to view updates to their system when and where they may occur.
In 2018, GLWA entered into an agreement with Aquasight for use of the AURA tool. The 2018 agreement provided for GLWA to pay the initial set up fee and member communities could opt into the service at their own expense. A pilot project for live water quality monitoring was completed under this contract. The pilot took place in Canton Township and included five (5) water quality stations with ten (10) total sensors. The sensors monitor free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, conductivity, and turbidity.
Given the initial success, GLWA moved to a full-service model of the application in 2020 to allow all member communities to utilize the tool at no charge. At that time, 31 communities were using the service. An additional nine (9) communities opted-in in calendar year 2021, another nine (9) communities in 2022, and one (1) community in 2023, for a total of 50 communities and over 70% of the GLWA service area population served.
In this contract, the cost for the AURA tool is on a sliding scale and is based on population served via the tool. This means that as more communities opt into the tool, the larger the population served will be, and so the rate per person, per year goes down.
JUSTIFICATION
When GLWA moved to a full-service model of the application in 2020 to allow all member communities to utilize the tool at no charge, 31 communities were using the service. An additional nine (9) communities opted-in in calendar year 2021, another nine (9) communities in 2022, and one (1) community in 2023, for a total of 50 communities. This accounts for over 70% of the GLWA service area population served. Because the cost is a sliding scale based on the population of communities using the tool, and more communities are taking advantage of the tool, the current annual fee is more than was originally estimated. This request will account for all member partners to take advantage of the AURA tool.
In addition, the live water quality monitoring pilot was a success and an additional ten (10) monitoring sites at member connections throughout the distribution system are requested. This request will account for the annual fee to maintain the five (5) pilot water quality monitoring sites, the set-up fee for an additional ten (10) water quality monitoring sites, and the annual fee for the additional ten (10) water quality monitoring sites.
The tool has been in place since 2018. Because GLWA continuously evaluates areas where it can add value for our member communities and the region, by offering this tool to our member communities, GLWA is enabling best practices across the region.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT STATUS
Original Contract Time 3 years (01/06/2022) - (01/05/2025)
Year 1 Optional Renewal Term 1 year (01/06/2025) - (01/05/2026)
Year 2 Optional Renewal Term 1 year (01/06/2026) - (01/05/2027)
Proposed Amendment No. 1 0 days
New Contract Time 5 years (01/06/2022) - (01/05/2027)
(Original Contract Time plus 2 potential renewal options)
PROJECT ESTIMATE
Original Contract Initial (3-Year) Term $1,217,500.00
Original Year 1 Optional Renewal Term 347,500.00
Original Year 2 Optional Renewal Term 347,500.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Original Contract 118,474.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Renewal Year 1 118,263.00
Proposed Amendment No. 1 Renewal Year 2 118,263.00
New Contract Total $2,267,500.00
FINANCIAL PLAN IMPACT
Summary: Sufficient funds are provided in the financial plan for this contract.
Funding Source: Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Budget
Cost Center(s): Systems Planning (886101)
Expense Type:
Contractual Professional Services Water Only (5910-886101.000-617904-WS7900)
Estimated Cost by Year and Related Estimating Variance: See table below.
Fiscal Year Amount
2022 Budget (Prorated) $ 175,000
2023 Budget 450,000
2024 Budget 400,000
2025 Financial Plan 530,000
2026 Financial Plan 530,000
2027 Financial Plan (Prorated) 265,000
Financial Plan Forecast Estimate $2,350,000
Total Adjusted Contract Value $2,267,500
Variance (Positive / (Negative) $ 82,500
COMMITTEE REVIEW
This item was presented to the Operations and Resources Committee at its meeting on March 13, 2024. The Operations and Resources Committee unanimously recommended that the GLWA Board adopt the resolution as presented.
SHARED SERVICES IMPACT
This item does not impact the shared services agreement between GLWA and DWSD.