SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Authorize purchase orders to Control Southern, Inc. of Suwanee, GA, DevTech Sales, Inc. of Avon Park, FL, Equipment Controls Company of Norcross, GA, Technico of Lake Worth, FL for the purchase of natural gas meters and regulators in the cumulative annual not-to-exceed amount of $1,600,000.00 for the term October 1, 2025 through September 31, 2026, with the two, one-year renewal options pursuant to Invitation to Bid 45-25 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
Body
SUMMARY:
Invitation to Bid 45-25, Natural Gas Meters and Regulators was released on July 11, 2025, and five bid submissions were received on August 11, 2025. Specifications were reviewed for compliance, and following evaluation, Clearwater Gas System (CGS) Energy determined that the four companies listed represent the lowest, most responsible bidders for specific line items. Award is therefore recommended as outlined below:
PRIMARY AWARDS:
• Control Southern of Suwannee, GA:
o Items 20-21: Direct Operated Pressure Reducing Regulators
o Item 22: Constant Pressure Pilot Loaded Regulators
o Item 23: 2” Flanged Spring Loaded Self-Regulated Regulator
o Item 24: 2” Female Pipe Thread Loaded, Self Operated Gas Regulator
o Item 25: 1 1/4” Spring Loaded Self Operated Gas Regulator
o Items 27-28: Spring Loaded Throttling Relief Back Pressure Regulator
o Item 29: Backpressure Regulator
o Item 30: Pressure Reducing Regulator
o Item 31: Backpressure Regulator
o Item 36: Pilot Operated Pressure Reducing Regulator
o Item 37: Pilot Operated Pressure Relief Valve
• Devtech Sales, Inc. of Avon Park, FL:
o Items 3-8: 600, 800, 1000 Class CFG (NTC) Aluminum Meters
o Item 10: Romet or Roots 5M Rotary Meter
o Items 11-13: Romet or Roots 7M, 11M, 16M Rotary Meters
o Items 14-15: HRS ¾” Angle Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Items 16-17: HRS 3/4” Globe Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Items 18-19: HRS 1” Globe Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Item 32: Strainers
o Item 33: 2” Filter
o Item 34: 3” Filter
o Item 35: 4” Filter
• Equipment Controls Company of Norcross, GA:
o Item 1-2: 200, 400 Class CFH (NTC) Aluminum Meters
o Item 9: Romet or Roots 3M Rotary Meter
• Technico of Lake Worth, FL:
o Item 26: 1 ¼” Spring Loaded Self Operated Gas Regulator
SECONDARY AWARDS:
• Control Southern of Suwannee, GA:
o Items 16: HRS 3/4” Globe Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
• Devtech Sales, Inc. of Avon Park, FL:
o Item 1-2: 200, 400 Class CFH (NTC) Aluminum Meters
o Item 9: Romet or Roots 3M Rotary Meter
o Items 21: Direct Operated Pressure Reducing Regulator
o Item 26: 1 ¼” Spring Loaded Self Operated Gas Regulator
o Items 27-28: Spring Loaded Throttling Relief Back Pressure Regulator
o Item 29: Backpressure Regulator
o Item 30: Pressure Reducing Regulator
o Item 31: Backpressure Regulator
o Item 36: Pilot Operated Pressure Reducing Regulator
o Item 37: Pilot Operated Pressure Relief Valve
• Equipment Controls Company of Norcross, GA:
o Item 10: Romet or Roots 5M Rotary Meter
o Items 11-13: Romet or Roots 7M, 11M, 16M Rotary Meters
o Items 20: Direct Operated Pressure Reducing Regulator
• Technico of Lake Worth, FL:
o Items 14-15: HRS ¾” Angle Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Items 17: HRS 3/4” Globe Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Items 18-19: HRS 1” Globe Body (60 PSIG and 6 PSIG)
o Item 22: Constant Pressure Pilot Loaded Regulators
o Item 23: 2” Flanged Spring Loaded Self-Regulated Regulator
o Item 24: 2” Female Pipe Thread Loaded, Self Operated Gas Regulator
To ensure continuity of supply, CGS Energy requests flexibility to purchase from secondary sources as needed. While Equipment Controls Company was awarded the 200- and 400-series gas meters (Items #1 and #2) as the lowest responsive bidder, CGS Energy currently has a surplus inventory of 2,100 Automated Meter Reading (AMR) endpoints (model ERG-5006-001) that are only compatible with DevTech, (American) meters, which were awarded as the secondary vendor. Purchasing from Devtech enables CGS Energy to utilize its existing inventory and avoid the additional expense of purchasing a different model of AMR not currently stocked in the warehouse.
As a corrective measure, CGS Energy will update its meter endpoint purchase order with Devtech, the sole-source provider of Itron endpoints, to include models compatible with Equipment Controls meters. In the interim, CGS Energy requests authorization to purchase the 200 and 400 series meters from Devtech, the secondary awardee, to ensure uninterrupted operations and customer service until the existing inventory of endpoints is fully utilized. Once the current inventory has been depleted and provided the combined cost of meters from Equipment Controls with Devtech endpoints remains the most economical option, future purchases will be made from the primary vendor for these meters.
All awarded equipment is code-approved and will be used on the CGS Energy distribution system for new customer installations and for replacing meters that have reached the end of their service life. In addition, CGS Energy is not obligated to expend the entire amount being requested.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funding is budgeted and available in 3237323-96367 (Gas Meter Change-out Capitalized Pinellas) and 3237323-96379 (Gas Meter Change-out Capitalized Pasco).
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
Deliver Effective and Efficient Services by Optimizing City Assets and Resources.
Objective 1.5: Embrace a culture of innovation that drives continuous improvement and successfully serves all our customers.
