TO: Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Cale Curtis, City Manager
DATE: November 4, 2026
Title
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MARGATE, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE WAIVER OF BIDDING FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF AQUA HAWK EK475 WASTEWATER DEWATERING POLYMER FROM HAWKINS, INC. FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES (DEES) FOR THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $80,000 PER YEAR; PROVIDING FOR ONGOING PURCHASE SO LONG AS THE VENDOR REMAINS THE SOLE SOURCE FOR THE ITEM SPECIFIED; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BACKGROUND: The Department of Environmental and Engineering Services (DEES) operates the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and requires a reliable liquid polymer to support sludge conditioning, solids-liquid separation, and dewatering through the Plant’s existing equipment.
The City’s current contract for wastewater treatment polymer supplied by Sterling Water Technologies is expiring, and DEES evaluated alternative polymer products to identify the product that best meets the Plant’s operational requirements.
On August 11, 2026, City staff conducted jar testing and determined that Aqua Hawk EK475 provided the best overall performance and was the optimal product for the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and demonstrated excellent floc formation and clarity, rapid floc development, and the best overall solids-liquid separation among the products tested.
Hawkins, Inc. is the manufacturer and sole source provider of Aqua Hawk EK475 wastewater dewatering polymer. Hawkins, Inc. quoted Aqua Hawk EK475 at $2.75 per pound in approximately 2,300-pound totes, and DEES anticipates purchasing approximately twelve (12) totes annually, with an estimated annual expenditure not to exceed $80,000, including freight, fuel surcharges, and reasonable operational contingency.
DEES recommends waiving competitive bidding and purchasing Aqua Hawk EK475 from Hawkins, Inc. as a sole-source product based on its demonstrated plant-specific performance and its ability to support efficient and cost-effective Wastewater Treatment Plant operations.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
FISCAL IMPACT: $80,000 (456.9080.552007 - Coagulant)
CONTACT PERSON: Curt Keyeser, P.E., DEES Director