CR 99-68 Award Bid For Radio Meter System
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March 31,1999 ~ Council Report 99-068
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Award Bid for Radio Read Meter System
Proposed Action
Staff recommends approval of the following motion: Motion to award the bid for a radio
read meter system to Hydro Supply Company for a BadQer Trace system in the amount of
$59.620.32.
Overview
The Hopkins Utility Division sent out requests for bids on the first phase of a radio read water meter
system, which was included in the City's 1999 capital improvement budget. The first phase would
convert about 240 meters to radio read. The only bids that were received were from Hydro Supply
Company, which bid a Badger Trace radio read system for $59,620.32 and, separately, an Itron radio
read system for $49,907.88. The two radio read meter systems are similar in operation. The Badger
Trace system has been purchased by neighboring cities while the Itron system has not. The
neighboring cities may be interested in sharing the Badger Trace meter reading technology with
Hopkins.
_Staff recommends that the City of Hopkins purchase the Badger Trace radio read system because of
the reasons mentioned below. Neighboring cities have decided to purchase the Badger Trace
system even though its cost is higher than the cost of the Itron system. Staff feels that the quality of
the Badger Trace system and the potential to share its meter reading technology with neighboring
cities make it a good fit for the City of Hopkins for the future.
Primary Issues to Consider
. What is the difference in cost between the Badger Trace and the Itron radio read systems?
. How are the systems different and why does staff recommend the Badger Trace system?
SupportinQ Documents
erintendent
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Primary Issues to Consider
. What is the difference in cost between the Badger Trace and the Itron radio read systems?
The Badger Trace bid amount is $9,712.44 higher than the Itron bid amount. However, the Itron bid
did not include the hand-held readers that would be needed to operate the system; those readers
cost about $5,000. So, the bids are less than $5,000 apart when the reader cost is factored in.
The first phase of the project will convert 240 meters to radio read. Staff has estimated the cost to
complete the conversion of all meters in Hopkins to radio read. Assuming the first phase is done, it
would cost about $47,000 more to complete the conversion with Badger Trace than it would with
Itron. This is because each Badger Trace meter kit is $14 more than the ltron meter kit, per the bids
received. Included in the $47,000 amount is the $5,000 additional cost for a Badger Trace mobile
meter reading unit over what an Itron mobile meter reading unit would cost.
. How are the systems different and why does staff recommend the Badger Trace system?
Badqer Trace System
This is Badger Meter's system for radio read water meters and is the system that the Water
Department has been using as a benchmark for the future upgrade of the automated billing system.
This is the system that the cities of Edina, Golden Valley and Arden Hills are now installing into their
utility billing system. This system is programmed to use a radio frequency licensed in the 451
megahertz band, which is reserved for municipal use only. This assures the Badger Trace system
eJser that there will be a reliable, uninterrupted radio frequency for reading the water meters. The
operating range on this system, depending on the surrounding environment, is approximately 150 to
300 feet with the portable interrogator and 600 to 1500 feet with a mobile interrogator. (A portable
interrogater is hand-held; the user must signal each meter manually and individually. A mobile
interrogator can be placed in a vehicle; the device signals to numerous meters automatically and
simultaneously.) Each transponder must receive a unique identification signal from an interrogator.
Upon receiving this signal, the remote transmitter transmits a 32 bit data stream including the current
reading, tamper status, and error detection code value. The average transmission time is 1-5
milliseconds. This short transmission time extends the battery life substantially.
Because many neighboring cities are now using the Badger Trace system there is the possibility of
sharing reading equipment and costs in the future, including sharing a mobile interrogator.
Badger water meters have been installed into our system since 1972. Staff believes that the Badger
Trace radio read system is the future for Hopkins.
Itron System
This radio read system is a new addition to Hydro Supply Company. This system was acquired for
those cities that have other utilities such as municipal electricity and gas that can be read using the
higher frequency that the other radio read meters systems require. The radio frequency that the Itron
uses is the 900 megahertz that has the natural gas and electric meters in it and it also has garage
door openers and some microwave ovens. This could create a problem for reading our water meters
~ith all of the other traffic in this frequency. The operating range of this system is similar to the
adger Trace system but the difference between the two systems is in the battery life. The Itron
System uses the one page system that has every radio reader head transmitting a 32 bit data stream
for the full 15 milliseconds every time it receives the page signal. This system shortens the battery
Ce considerably. The gas industry has found this to be a problem that was not anticipated when
ey designed the radio read meter systems that they are now using.
This system would be a stand-alone system because there are no cities in the metro area looking at
this radio read systems technology.
Alternatives
The Council has the following alternatives regarding this matter:
1. Approve the item as recommended by staff.
2. Continue the item for additional information.
3. Deny the item.
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