West Basin mandates 'Buy American' preference for RO membrane tender

West Basin mandates 'Buy American' preference for RO membrane tenderThe California district is overhauling its procurement logic to favor domestic manufacturing and rapid delivery for critical reverse osmosis components, signaling a shift away from lowest-cost bidding.

Committee Chair Desi Alvarez directed staff to apply formal evaluation preferences to 'Made in America' products for an upcoming RO membrane tender.

Staff identified a San Diego-based manufacturer for the Juanita Millender-McDonald facility, challenging the assumption that all compatible membranes are made offshore.

The solicitation will also incentivize delivery times under 30 days to address urgent replacement needs.

The move parallels a shift away from proprietary technologies, evidenced by a recent transition from Johnson Controls to Honeywell fire systems to improve supply chain resilience.

West Basin Municipal Water District is overhauling its procurement strategy for reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, with Board directors pushing for a formal "Made in America" weighting mechanism in upcoming solicitations. During the February 18 Engineering & Operations Committee meeting, Committee Chair Desi Alvarez challenged staff's initial proposal to merely identify country of origin, arguing that domestic manufacturing should receive explicit preferential evaluation similar to performance incentives. The upcoming tender covers RO membranes for the Juanita Millender-McDonald Carson Regional Water Recycling Plant (JMMCRWRP), specifically for boiler feed applications. Staff revealed they have identified a San Diego-based manufacturer capable of meeting "Buy American" standards; previously, the utility believed all compatible membranes were manufactured offshore. The procurement design initially proposed by staff included an evaluative incentive for vendors capable of delivering membranes in under 30 days—half the standard 60-day timeline—to meet urgent operational needs. However, the proposal stopped short of applying a similar mathematical preference to domestic origin, instead planning to present the "Made in America" option alongside the lowest bidder for Board determination. Alvarez rejected this passive approach. "I would suggest to exercise a preference... to a vendor who's a made-in-America product," Alvarez stated. "If that made-in-America product comes in [at a higher cost], that should still be the one that [is recommended]." The General Manager cautioned that transparency is key, noting that past procurements have seen price gaps of $50,000 to $60,000 between the lowest bid and alternative preferred products. The staff aims to present a bid structure that highlights the cost premium required to support domestic supply chains while fulfilling the Board's policy directives. This procurement shift aligns with a broader District strategy to reduce reliance on restrictive supply chains. At the same meeting, the Committee reviewed the closeout of a $412,397 fire protection system upgrade at the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility. The project replaced a proprietary Johnson Controls system with a non-proprietary Honeywell Silent Knight system. Staff noted the switch was driven by long-standing issues with parts availability and the desire to avoid the "mercy" of proprietary pricing models, favoring a platform noted for simplified maintenance and reduced total cost of ownership.