Proposal:
Issue RFP to Measure Evaporative Emissions from Off-Road Equipment Powered by Gasoline and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Engines of 25 to Less Than 175 Horsepower
Synopsis:
Off-road equipment powered by gasoline and LPG engines of 25 to less than 175 horsepower contribute significantly to the South Coast Air Basin's mobile source emissions. There are currently no emissions standards and control requirements for these engines. The proposed RFP asks for measurement of evaporative emissions from this equipment. The emissions results will be used to suggest cost-effective control methods with estimation of potential emissions benefits. The AQMD is the sole participant in this project, and the total funding shall not exceed $150,000.
Committee:
Technology, November 15, 1996, Recommended for Approval
Recommended Action:
Issue RFP # 9697-24, Measurement of Evaporative Emissions from Off-Road Equipment, in an amount not to exceed $150,000.
James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer
Background
Off-road equipment powered by gasoline and LPG engines of 25 to less than 175 horsepower contribute significantly to the South Coast Air Basin's mobile source emissions inventory. There are currently no emissions standards and control requirements for these engines. In the absence of controls, the relative contribution of reactive organic gas (ROG) emissions from these engines to the Basin's emissions inventory will continue to increase.
The mobile source element of the 1994 SIP includes future control measures M11 and M12 for reduction of exhaust emissions from off-road equipment powered by gasoline and LPG engines of 25 to 175 horsepower. However, these two control measures do not include evaporative emissions. Moreover, there are currently no data available to quantify actual evaporative emissions from these engines. The available data from on-road gasoline vehicles are not applicable as they have evaporative control systems as well as a different test cycle. Therefore, it is necessary to quantify the actual evaporative emissions from these engines in order to develop and implement cost effective control strategies.
Proposal
This RFP solicits proposals for measurement of evaporative emissions from off-road equipment with gasoline and LPG engines of 25 to less than 175 horsepower. It focuses on the development of a representative testing cycle and quantification of evaporative emissions as running and resting losses, together with gasoline refueling or LPG transfer losses. This quantification is to be used to estimate emission reduction benefits of suggested available control strategies, with evaluation of factors such as cost, durability, equipment compatibility, fuel usage effects, performance characteristics, etc.
Proposals received will be evaluated by a panel selected according to the criteria spelled out in the attached RFP #9697-24. Due to the particular importance of technical qualifications in awarding advanced technology contracts, staff has proposed in the RFP to weight a significant portion of the cost component of the scoring by technical strength, in effect a form of cost-effectiveness. This form of scoring differs from the general practice of using total costs as the sole criterion, which the Board’s Consultant Selection Policy may be interpreted to call for. This change was brought to the attention of the Technology Committee, which approved this revision.
The proposed project is included in the Technology Advancement Plan, approved on October 11, 1996, as Project T1-1, "Quantification of Evaporative Emissions from Off-Road Mobile Sources between 25 hp to 175 hp." The major benefit of this project is the improvement of the VOC inventory in the Basin, which will in turn assist in the evaluation of evaporative emission changes due to future conversion of existing gasoline engines to clean fuels. In addition, this project will assist the AQMD in the evaluation of the evaporative emissions contribution of existing off-road LPG engines.
Staff will develop a public announcement advertising the RFP on local radio stations and will advertise this RFP in the following publications:
The Black Voice News, Chinese News, Eastern Group Publication, El Chicano, The Excelsior, Inland Empire Hispanic News, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (SB area), Korean Central Daily, L.A. Sentinel, La Opinion, La Voz, Los Angeles Times, M/W/DBE Source, Orange County Register, Philippine News, Precinct Reporter, Rafu Shimpo, Riverside Press Enterprise, and The San Bernardino Sun.
Copies of the RFP will be sent to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and interested minority contractors/professional associations and vendors listed in the Los Angeles County, MTA, Cal Trans, and Inland Area MBE/WBE directories. Further, the RFPs will be placed on the AQMD’s internet and bidders’s 24-hour telephone message line.
Resource Impacts
Total cost for the proposed RFP is estimated to be $150,000. Sufficient funds are available in the FY 1996-1997 Budget.
RFP #9697-24, Measurement of Evaporative Emissions from Off-Road Equipment