Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 19, 2024

Board Action:
​There was a long Commissioner discussion about the award of the 39th Street conduit rehabilitation to Michels Trenchless for a higher bid than Instituform, who bid $3 million less (the total bid was over $40 million), but for which Instituform did not make a good faith effort to comply with the MWBE requirements of the MWRD.  The issue is that MWRD be fiscally responsible to taxpayers while at the same time requiring 12% MWBE participation.  Coms. Davis and Garcia needed more questions answered before committing to the higher bid, and seven commissioners voted to delete the item from the agenda.  (Item 24 #24-0786)

Coms. Corral-Sepulveda and Spyropoulos voted against the deletion.  The Procurement department keeps a list of MWBE approved subcontractors that could do work for the award winner.  Michels Trenchless apparently did not meet the 12% MWBE hurdle either, but Instituform had asked for a complete waiver.  During Public Comment the VP of Sales for Instituform spoke in opposition to the bid award to Michels Trenchless, in a repeat of the September 5 MWRD meeting.  

Com. Brady-Davis promised that they would have the report covering the MWBE process by the December meeting.  The consultant’s full procurement report with recommendations is also due in December.

The state lobbying contracts with four law firms for another year was deferred by Pres. Steele, with no discussion.  (Item 28 #24-0803)

With the exception of Items 24 and 28, all other board items were approved including the twice deferred EMS PRISM Compliance Mgmt. Software License Contract. (Item 15 #24-0690)

Public Comment - Environmental groups spoke in support of Urban Agriculture to reduce flooding and decrease urban food insecurity

• Speakers from the Cook County Farm Bureau and Friends of the Chicago River spoke in support of the MWRD’s resolution to use available land for urban agriculture projects. (Item 4 #24-0817) 
• Friends of the Chicago River supports the MWRD plan to lease sixteen acres OF WATER at the Schaumburg Egan Plant to install a floating solar array.  Com. Davis thanked the MWRD staff for innovation in helping to make the floating solar panels a reality. (Item 42 #24-0813).

Observer:  Amy Little                              The meeting lasted 90 minutes with no Executive Session.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 5, 2024

Items Discussed:
During the public comment period, the vice president for sales of Insituform Technologies USA LLC spoke against the proposed awarding of a bid for the 39th Street conduit rehabilitation –phase II to Michels Trenchless Inc, (Agenda Item #53, File # 24-0786).

• Michels bid was for $42.3 M, while Insituform’s was for $40.4 M.  According to the material with the agenda, Insituform’s bid was rejected for failure to meet the MBE, WBE, and VBE goals.  Insituform had requested a waiver of those goals, but, according to the agenda materials, the MWRD staff determined that the company did not substantiate a good faith effort to comply with the goals.
• Insituform’s vice president said the company felt it had made a good faith effort and has a subcontractor that does not have a WBE certification from Chicago or the MWRD, but does have other national certification.  The vice president also asked whether the MWRD had ever granted a waiver.
• This item was pulled from the Consent Agenda and deferred by Vice-President Flynn.

The only other item discussed was the proposed purchase order for EMS PRISM Compliance Management Software renewal (Agenda Item 27, File #24-0690).

• This item was deferred at the last meeting by Commissioner Davis (see the observer report for the August 8 meeting).
• Commissioner Garcia asked for a second deferral because he had not had all his questions answered.  
• Because this was a second deferral, a vote had to be held, and the motion to defer was passed 8 to 0.

New Business:  Commissioner Davis asked for a status report by the next Board meeting concerning the Environmental Justice Grant received by the MWRD from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Total meeting time:  50 minutes, plus an Executive Session which Vice-President Flynn said was to discuss labor negotiations.
All Commissioners present except Commissioner Spyropolous.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims