To: Board of Supervisors
From: Matt Slattengren, Ag Commissioner/Weights & Measures Director
Report Title: Blanket Purchase Order with Rice Lake Weighing Systems/Heusser Neweigh
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent, on behalf of the Agricultural Commissioner, to execute a blanket purchase order with Rice Lake Weighing Systems/Heusser Neweigh in the amount not to exceed $14,999 for the purchase of weight kits and calibration services to maintain compliance with weights and measurements standards of the California Division of Measurement Standards for the period of December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of these products is included in the Department’s FY 2025-2026 budget. 100% General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Acquiring these weight kits allows the Department to maintain compliance with California Code of Regulations Title 4, Division 9, Chapter 3 §4070 of Article 1. As Table 1 shows, weighing devices appropriate for the proposed weight kits are to be inspected on an annual basis. Additional weight kits are necessary to continue to meet the legal obligations set forth in the California Code of Regulations.
Standards are certified by the State Division of Management Standards (DMS). Not all standards can be certified each time. The standards become unable to meet compliance and are retired from use. When this happens, the Department ends up with incomplete weight kits. Without complete and certified weight kits, inspectors cannot perform weighing device inspections correctly as set forth in the Field Reference Manual (derived from NIST HB 44).
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to obtain additional weight kits would put the Department’s ability to meet state mandates at risk.