SR 10-25-2022 5G
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 25, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources
Subject: Award Bid #4430 to Pacific Star Chemical, Brenntag Pacific, Inc., and Univar
Solutions USA for the Purchase of Sodium Hydroxide
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award Bid #4430 to Pacific Star Chemical dba Northstar Chemical as the primary
vendor for the purchase of sodium hydroxide for the Arcadia Water Treatment
Plant (Arcadia) and Brenntag Pacific, Inc. as the primary vendor for the purchase
of sodium hydroxide for the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility
(SMURRF); Univar Solutions USA Inc as the secondary vendor for the purchase
of sodium hydroxide for the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant and SMURRF;
2. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Pacific Star
Chemical dba Northstar Chemical for sodium hydroxide in the amount not to
exceed $50,000 for one year, with four additional one-year renewal options to
extend at a mutually agreeable price adjustment for a total not to exceed
$290,000; and
3. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Brenntag
Pacific, Inc. for sodium hydroxide in the amount not to exceed $35,000 for one
year, with four additional one-year renewal options to extend at mutually
agreeable price adjustment for a total not to exceed $200,000; and
4. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Univar
Solutions USA Inc. for sodium hydroxide in the amount not to exceed $35,000 for
one year, with four additional one-year renewal options at increases between 5%
to 10% for a total not to exceed $200,000.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica, Department of Public Works – Water Resources Division
operates a multi-barrier treatment process, through the Charnock Treatment Plant and
Arcadia Water Treatment Plant to provide high-quality, safe and reliable supply of water.
The treatment processes at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant and upgraded Santa
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Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF) use sodium hydroxide (or caustic)
to support the treatment processes at both facilities. Staff recommends Pacific Star
Chemical dba Northstar Chemical as the primary vendor to provide the sodium
hydroxide for the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant in an amount not to exceed $290,000
over a five-year period. Brenntag Pacific, Inc. is recommended as the primary vendor to
provide sodium hydroxide for SMURRF in an amount not to exceed $200,000 over a
five-year period. Staff also recommends Univar Solutions USA Inc. as a secondary
vendor for Arcadia & SMURRF in an amount not to exceed $200,000 over a five-year
period. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the vendor’s ability to maintain
consistent deliveries of chemicals for continuous operations at the City’s water
treatment facilities and secondary vendors to both locations would serve as back-up
options should the primary vendor’s supply be interrupted by material or labor
shortages.
Discussion
The City uses a multi-barrier treatment process at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant to
produce high-qualify and safe drinking water for the City’s customers. Sodium
hydroxide (purchased as 50% solution of NaOH) is used at the Arcadia Water
Treatment Plant to ensure the City’s drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and
state regulations for drinking water.
The treatment processes at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant consist of greensand
filtration, reverse osmosis filtration, decarbonation towers (air stripping), and chlorine
disinfection. Sodium hydroxide is used at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant to adjust
the pH, to reduce the potential of corrosion in the distribution system, of the final treated
water before it is distributed for use as drinking water. It is estimated that the Arcadia
Water Treatment Plant will receive approximately 6 deliveries, at 5,000 gallons per
delivery, of sodium hydroxide each year. Once the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant
expansion is completed at the end of 2023, it may receive up to 11-12 deliveries, at
5,000 gallons per delivery, of sodium hydroxide each year.
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Sodium hydroxide is used at the SMURRF to adjust the pH and reduce the potential of
corrosion in the expanded recycled water distribution system required with the new
upgrades to SMURRF as part of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project. It is
estimated that the SMURRF would receive approximately 10-15 deliveries, at 300
gallons per delivery, of sodium hydroxide each year.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder Pacific Star Chemical dba Northstar Chemical & Brenntag Pacific, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria
Price; the ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform or provide the
materials or services; the capacity of the bidder to perform the contract or
provide the service promptly, within the time specified, and without delay
or interference; the sufficiency of the bidder’s financial resources;
The City is not required to select the bid with the lowest price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.180
Bid Data
Date Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
08/15/2022 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 11 09/12/2022
Best Bidder Justification
Pacific Star Chemical dba Northstar Chemical and Brenntag Pacific, Inc. were chosen
as the best bidder for Arcadia Water Treatment Plant and SMURRF respectively,
based on price and the ability to provide the chemical to both locations requested.
Supply chain issues still affect availability of chemicals and has on occasion in the past
few years made it difficult for chemical vendors to source the chemical ordered.
Therefore, Univar Solutions USA Inc. has been selected as backup vendors to Arcadia
and SMURRF, in the event Pacific Star Chemical and/or Brenntag Pacific, Inc is
unable to source the chemical for fulfillment.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Water and Wastewater
Funds to award purchase orders with Pacific Star Chemical dba Northstar Chemical and
Submittals Received
JCI Jones Chemicals $3.64/gal
Arcadia Pacific Star Chemical
dba Northstar Chemical
$2.50/gal Arcadia
Brenntag Pacific, Inc. $3.25/gal
$5.25/gal
Arcadia
SMURRF
Univar Solutions USA
Inc.
$3.23/gal
$7.49/gal
Arcadia
SMURRF
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Brenntag as the primary vendor to provide Sodium Hydroxide and a purchase order to
Univar Solutions USA Inc. as a secondary vendor in the event Pacific Star Chemical or
Brenntag is unable to fulfill the order for Arcadia and SMURRF respectively. Future year
funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Pacific Star Chemical dba Northstar Chemical Purchase Order Request
Arcadia (Primary Vendor)
FY 2022-23
Amount
Future Years Amount Department Account # Total Contract
Amount
$50,000 $240,000 50500003.525081 $290,000
Brenntag Pacific Inc. Purchase Order Request
SMURRF (Primary Vendor)
FY 2022-23
Amount
Future Years Amount Department Account # Total Contract
Amount
$35,000 $165,000 51500001.529450 $200,000
Univar Solutions USA Inc. Purchase Order Request
SMURRF (Secondary Vendor) & Arcadia (Secondary Vendor)
FY 2022-23
Amount
Future Years Amount Department Account # Total Contract
Amount
$15,000 $70,000 50500003.525081 $85,000
$20,000 $95,000 51500001.529450 $115,000
Total $200,000
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Senior Administrative Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Initiative (Northstar Chemical a dba of Pacific Star Chemcial)
B. Oaks Initiative (Brenntag)
C. Oaks Initiative (Univar)
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CITY OF SANTA MONICA
OAKS INITIATIVE DISCLOSURE FORM
In order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of the Oaks Initiative, the City
compiles and maintains certain information. That information includes the name of any
person or persons who is seeking a “public benefit.” If the “public benefit” is sought by
an entity, rather than an individual person, the information includes the name of every
person who is: (a) trustee, (b) director, (c) partner, (d) officer, or has (e) more than a ten
percent interest in the entity.
Public benefits include:
1. Personal services contracts in excess of $25,000 over any 12-month period;
2. Sale of material, equipment or supplies to the City in excess of $25,000 over a 12-
month period;
3. Purchase, sale or lease of real property to or from the City in excess of $25,000
over a 12- month period;
4. Non-competitive franchise awards with gross revenue of $50,000 or more in any
12-month period;
5. Land use variance, special use permit, or other exception to an established land
use plan, where the decision has a value in excess of $25,000;
6. Tax “abatement, exception, or benefit” of a value in excess of $5,000 in any 12-
month period; or
7. Payment of “cash or specie” of a net value to the recipient of $10,000 in any 12-
month period.
Name(s) of persons or entities receiving public benefit:
Name(s) of trustees, directors, partners, and officers:
Name(s) of persons with more than a 10% equity, participation, or revenue interest:
Prepared by: ____________________________Title: __________________________
Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ________________
Email: ____________________________________ Phone: ____________________
FOR CITY USE ONLY:
Bid/PO/Contract # ____________________________ Permit # ___________________________
_______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Matt Werger Vice President/General Manager
9/6/2022
bidsca@northstarchemical.com (503)625-3770
Northstar Cehimcial a DBA of Pacific Star Chemcial
Matthew J Werger
Stan Chang
None
5.G.a
Packet Pg. 392 Attachment: Oaks Initiative (Northstar Chemical a dba of Pacific Star Chemcial) (5328 : Sodium Hydroxide)
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
OAKS INITIATIVE DISCLOSURE FORM
In order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of the Oaks Initiative, the City
compiles and maintains certain information. That information includes the name of any
person or persons who is seeking a “public benefit.” If the “public benefit” is sought by
an entity, rather than an individual person, the information includes the name of every
person who is: (a) trustee, (b) director, (c) partner, (d) officer, or has (e) more than a ten
percent interest in the entity.
Public benefits include:
1. Personal services contracts in excess of $25,000 over any 12-month period;
2. Sale of material, equipment or supplies to the City in excess of $25,000 over a 12-
month period;
3. Purchase, sale or lease of real property to or from the City in excess of $25,000
over a 12- month period;
4. Non-competitive franchise awards with gross revenue of $50,000 or more in any
12-month period;
5. Land use variance, special use permit, or other exception to an established land
use plan, where the decision has a value in excess of $25,000;
6. Tax “abatement, exception, or benefit” of a value in excess of $5,000 in any 12-
month period; or
7. Payment of “cash or specie” of a net value to the recipient of $10,000 in any 12-
month period.
Name(s) of persons or entities receiving public benefit:
Name(s) of trustees, directors, partners, and officers:
Name(s) of persons with more than a 10% equity, participation, or revenue interest:
Prepared by: ____________________________Title: __________________________
Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ________________
Email: ____________________________________ Phone: ____________________
FOR CITY USE ONLY:
Bid/PO/Contract # ____________________________ Permit # ___________________________
y ______________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Laura Tua Muncipal Bid Manager
April 01, 2022
ltua@brenntag.com (562)903-9626
Brenntag Pacific, Inc.
David Eckelbarger
William Huttner
None
9/1/2022
5.G.b
Packet Pg. 393 Attachment: Oaks Initiative (Brenntag) [Revision 1] (5328 : Sodium Hydroxide)
Univar Solutions USA Inc.
None
5.G.c
Packet Pg. 394 Attachment: Oaks Initiative (Univar) (5328 : Sodium Hydroxide)