The Tribune’s recent editorial “The spoils of . . . toilets?” (March 1) questioned the award of a contract to Bella Bagno Inc. in 1993 for plastic toilet-seat liners at O’Hare International Airport and failed to mention the following relevant facts:
– At the time the original contract was awarded in 1993, Bella Bagno was the exclusive local distributor of the patented Hygolet Sanitary Seat System; there were no suppliers or distributors of a similar product in the United States.
– The initial term of the current contract was from January 1994 through December 1996. The contract permits the city to extend the contract for two additional one-year periods. In fact, the city elected to extend the contract for only 90 days so that other options could be investigated.
– The current contract with Bella Bagno provides the plastic sleeves manufactured specifically for the Hygolet system, the maintenance and repair of the seats and the cleaning of the seats and replacement of the plastic sleeves. The contract provides a full sanitary system with proven reliable service.
– On Jan. 24, a presentation was made by the German company BEFA-plast GmbH to the city, offering to supply the plastic sleeves for the Hygolet seats. Though BEFA-plast stated that the cost of its plastic sleeves could be less than those bought from Bella Bagno, the sleeves are not compatible with the current equipment and would require an irreversible modification of the existing 561 seats at O’Hare to be used.
– BEFA-plast’s proposal does not include costs for cleaning and maintenance, which is included in the current contract. Although BEFA-plast would like to provide a new toilet seat of its own design, it will not be in production until late 1997. At this time, the only company capable of assuring the whole service is Bella Bagno.
– In January the city also received a presentation from SaniSeat in New York. Its product will also be considered and tested for suitability.
– The city continues to evaluate the products, references and long-term stability of both companies. Since these presentations, the city has been evaluating the offered products and the costs of modifying the 561 toilet seats. Whether either of these products violates Hygolet’s patent must also be determined.
– If the city determines that more than one vendor can provide a product that is equal to what has been, to date, a unique product, the contract will certainly be advertised for competitive bids and awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.
At this time, it is premature to make a selection between the current contract and possible competitors. The city has exercised sound business judgment in performing a thorough, professional evaluation of goods and services offered to travelers at O’Hare.