Clearwater town council has decided to waive its purchasing policy and allow the “sole sourcing” of engineering consulting services to TRUE Consulting.
The councillors made that decision during their council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The decision will allow the municipality to hire the Kamloops-based consulting company on a project-by-project basis and pay for the services based on TRUE's fee schedule.
The arrangement is to be from Nov. 15, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2018.
In a report to council, chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx noted that TRUE was the engineer firm on record for the district from incorporation until 2010. It also was the engineering consultant for Clearwater Improvement District before incorporation.
The long history means the staff members at TRUE have a good familiarity with Clearwater's sewer and water infrastructure, and its community planning.
District of Clearwater has $32 million in tangible capital assets, Groulx pointed out, including land, buildings, roads, water, sewer, vehicles, equipment and machinery.
Most of these assets are aging and will need upgrading and/or replacing over the next five to 25 years.
Services that might be performed would include asset management planning, water distribution upgrading (including looping), sewage treatment plant and effluent disposal systems, municipal roads, drainage and parking upgrading and expansion, and assistance with grant applications.
Consulting fees for TRUE would range from $150 per hour for a primary team lead (designated engineer) to $80 - $90 per hour for engineers-in-training or junior to intermediate technologists.