City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE
OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) AND
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) FOR
THE EDISON PUMP STATION UPGRADES AND
EQUIPMENT PRE-PROCUREMENT PROJECTS
Whereas, by letter dated December 17, 2024, the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Works has requested legislation authorizing the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Edison Pump Station upgrades and equipment pre-procurement projects to ensure compliance with the Consent Decree and to enhance the City’s wastewater infrastructure; and
Whereas, the City of Mount Vernon is required to upgrade the Edison Avenue Pump Station to comply with a Consent Decree between the City, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) (Case 7:18-cv-05845-CS), which mandates the prevention of illicit discharges into the Bronx and Hutchinson Rivers; and
Whereas, the Edison Avenue Pump Station collects wastewater from five properties, primarily industrial businesses, and has experienced historic sanitary sewer overflows that discharged into the storm sewer system and, eventually, into the Hutchinson River; and
Whereas, the upgrades are required to raise pump station controls and emergency generators out of the 100-year flood plain to ensure compliance with the Consent Decree and to prevent future discharges, with a mandated completion date of June 30, 2025; and
Whereas, the City’s failure to meet the Consent Decree requirements could subject the City to civil and stipulated penalties, and time is of the essence to ensure timely completion of this project; and
Whereas, to expedite the completion of the project, the City proposes to issue one Request for Proposals (RFP) and one Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to operate on parallel tracks to ensure both the timely procurement of necessary equipment and the selection of a qualified construction firm; and
Whereas, the RFP will facilitate the pre-procurement of essential equipment for the Edison Avenue Pump Station upgrades, including:
1. Two (2) submersible pumps with controls,
2. One (1) standby generator,
3. One (1) new manhole inline grinder, and
4. A platform to raise the new generator and electrical controls six (6) feet above the flood plain; and
Whereas, the RFQ will seek to identify a qualified construction firm to complete the necessary upgrades to the Edison Avenue Pump Station using the pre-procured equipment; and
Whereas, funding for this project is eligible for support through the 2021 NYSDEC Water Quality Improvement Project grant and NYSEFC grant funding, which will help alleviate the financial burden on the City; and
Whereas, it is in the best interest of the City of Mount Vernon to authorize the release of the RFP and RFQ to ensure timely compliance with the Consent Decree and to improve the City’s wastewater infrastructure; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of this Ordinance is to authorize the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Edison Pump Station upgrades and equipment pre-procurement projects to ensure compliance with the Consent Decree and to enhance the City’s wastewater infrastructure.
Section 2. Authorization to Issue RFP and RFQ. The City Council hereby authorizes the issuance of:
1. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for the pre-procurement of essential equipment for the Edison Pump Station upgrades, which shall include:
o Two (2) submersible pumps with controls,
o One (1) standby generator,
o One (1) new manhole inline grinder, and
o A platform to raise the new generator and electrical controls six (6) feet above the flood plain.
2. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the selection of a qualified construction firm to complete the necessary upgrades to the Edison Avenue Pump Station using the pre-procured equipment.
Section 3. Funding. The 2021 NYSDEC Water Quality Improvement Project grant and NYSEFC grant funding will provide funding for the procurement of equipment and construction services. No City general funds will be used for this purpose.
Section 4. Project Requirements and Timeline. The Edison Avenue Pump Station upgrades, as required by the Consent Decree, must be completed by June 30, 2025. The issuance of the RFP and RFQ is critical in meeting this deadline. The selected construction firm will be required to adhere to a project timeline that ensures the timely completion of the work.
Section 5. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance or its application is held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Ordinance that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council.