This purchase is for modification of ten Hydrolab multiprobe (Model 4A) manufactured by Hach Environmental (formerly Hydrolab). The modification of each of these instruments would include: a new dissolved oxygen sensor, which is more reliable (LDO technology) than the probes we used in the past, new electronics (daughter card and MPL board), conductivity and pH sensors, a new housing and labor. Repair and upgrading the instruments will permit collection of high quality data in the years to follow. These instruments will be used in water quality investigations in Salmon Creek and the Klamath and Mattole Rivers during the summer of 2006. We have been using Hydrolab instrumentations for five years counting. During this time, the instrumentation provided adequate service but are showing considerable wear and tear from the continuous service. Recent evaluations of these instruments have revealed many problems including faulty probes and other miscellaneous problems that have resulted in the instruments becoming unreliable. The modification of these instruments to include more contemporary technologies and new probes will again allow for our ability to collect high quality data. We are requesting authorization to modify ten Hydrolab (Model 4A) to essentially become the equivalent of the Model 5 at a cost of approximately $3,016 per instrument for a total of $ 30,160. The price of ten new multiprobe instruments (Model 5) from Hach would be approximately $4,246 each for total of $42,460. Modifying our existing instrumentation, rather than purchase of new instrumentation, results in a cost savings of approximately $12,000 while attaining instrumentation with similar specifications to the new instruments. Purchase of new instrumentation of similar capability from another company would cost approximately $43,000, which is ~ 12,000 greater than having the existing equipment modified by Hach. Multiprobe instrumentation are custom-built devices and each manufacturer uses specific hardware and proprietary software to operate their equipment. Hach Environmental considers their instrumentation and associated software to be proprietary. Thus any modification to the instrumentation should be performed by Hach Environmental Company.

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