Proposal:

Execute Contract to Develop and Demonstrate Low-Emission Alternative Fuel Commercial Lawn and Garden Equipment

Synopsis:

Commercial lawn and garden equipment contribute significantly to Basin VOC and CO emissions inventories. Based on results of a competitive solicitation, IMPCO Technologies Inc. has been selected to develop and demonstrate low-emission alternative fuel commercial lawn and garden equipment. Total project cost is $996,080, with the AQMD’s share not to exceed $246,080.

Committee:

Technology, May 16, 1997, Recommended for Approval

Recommended Action:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with IMPCO Technologies Inc. in an amount not to exceed $246,080, to be funded from the FY 1996-1997 Budget.

James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer

Background

Based on the 1993 South Coast Air Basin emissions inventory, which was developed for the 1997 AQMP, the lawn and garden equipment category, including lawnmowers, edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chain saws, produces roughly 14 tons per day of VOC, 0.5 tons per day of NO_x, and 108 tons per day of CO emissions. Commercial applications produce the vast majority of emissions from this category.

State and federal exhaust emission standards for lawn and garden equipment have been adopted in recent years. In addition, AQMD rule 1623, adopted in 1996, allows for generation of NO_x, VOC, CO, and PM mobile source emission reduction credits for either the replacement of existing lawn and garden equipment or direct sale of new low- or zero-emission equipment.

During FY 1996-1997, the Technology Advancement (TA) office issued a program opportunity notice (PON) seeking project pre-proposals in a number of areas including one entitled "Ultra-Low / Zero-Emission Commercial Lawn, Garden, or Utility Equipment." As a result of the PON, several pre-proposals focusing on advanced, alternative fuel lawn and garden equipment were received and reviewed. Because multiple PON responses were received, the staff recommended to the Board the release of Request for Proposals (RFP) # 9697-32, Develop and Demonstrate Low-Emission Alternative Fuel Two- and Four-Cycle Commercial Lawn and Garden Equipment. The Board approved staff’s recommendation at their March 14, 1997 meeting.

Proposal

This project focuses on demonstrating advanced, alternative fuel technologies which can be applied to engines used in lawn and garden equipment. The emphasis of the project is proven technologies, as opposed to basic research, targeting emissions levels which are significantly lower than adopted emissions standards.

The project is included in the Technology Advancement Plan, approved on October 11, 1996, as Project M5-3, "Development and Demonstration of Low Emission, Alternative Fuel Technologies for Off-Road Applications." The major benefits of this project include the proof of concept of new technologies, increased exposure and user acceptance of the new technologies, diversification of transportation fuels, direct emission reductions from demonstrations of these technologies, and the potential for increased use, and resulting emission reduction, of the demonstrated technologies through their expedited commercialization.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was published in the following publications: The Black Voice News, Chinese Daily News, Eastern Group Publications, El Chicano, The Excelsior, Inland Empire Hispanic News, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Korea Central Daily, La Opinion, La Voz, Los Angeles Sentinel, Los Angeles Times, M/W/DVBE Source, Orange County Register, Philippine News, Precinct Reporter, Rafu Shimpo, Riverside Press Enterprise, the San Bernardino Sun, and the State of California Contracts Register. Additionally, potential bidders were identified through Los Angeles County’s Directory of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises; the Directory of Certified Firms published by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; the Caltrans electronic bulletin board listing of Disadvantaged and Women Business Enterprises; the AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors; and AQMD Purchasing’s mailing list. Copies of the RFP were mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations; and were placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov] and on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line.

Evaluation Panel

The three-member evaluation panel for proposals was comprised of AQMD and ARB staff, consisting of two males and one female; one Asian, and two Caucasians.

Name	Affiliation
Chris Abe	SCAQMD
Mike Bogdanoff	SCAQMD
Rachel Segal	ARB

Bid Evaluation

Three proposals were received by the April 24, 1997 closing date. They were reviewed and evaluated according to established AQMD guidelines. A summary of the panel's scoring is included as Attachment A. The evaluation process involved two steps. First, proposals were evaluated using technical criteria. Proposals receiving scores of at least 70 out of 100 points were considered technically qualified and eligible for contract award. Two of the three proposals received at least 70 points. Next, the technically qualified proposals were evaluated using the criteria of "cost and cost per technical approach and work statement," as outlined in the RFP. Using this two-step selection process, the proposal from IMPCO Technologies Inc. (IMPCO) received the highest overall score.

IMPCO has proposed to develop and demonstrate electronically controlled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) conversion kits for the most commonly used lawn and garden engines. As part of this effort, IMPCO intends to conduct comparative emissions testing of gasoline engines and those equipped with the conversion kits. Ultimately, converted engines will be installed on lawn and garden equipment for demonstration purposes.

IMPCO has considerable experience in alternative fuel conversions, including direct involvement with many of the major U. S. automotive and lawn and garden original equipment manufacturers. For this project, IMPCO intends to draw heavily on its experience in developing successful LPG and natural gas alternative fuel management systems for automotive engines. Since the fuel management system proposed for this project is based on control strategies successfully implemented on low-emission automotive engines, it is expected that emissions significantly below the ARB 1999 emissions standards for lawn and garden engines will be achieved. It is anticipated that the increase in engine weight and size after the implementation of the alternative fuel management system will be within 15 percent (excluding the fuel tank), with an engine cost increase of less than 30 percent.

Proposition 209 Compliance

It is AQMD policy to award additional points or cost benefits for minority-owned, woman-owned, and/or disabled veteran-owned business enterprises. On November 5, 1996 California voters approved Proposition 209 which prohibits discrimination or granting preferential treatment based upon race, ethnicity, color, sex or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting. (Proposition 209 does not address disabled veteran-owned business enterprises.) On December 16, 1996, the Federal District Court issued an order applicable to all government agencies in California prohibiting enforcement of Proposition 209. The December 16, 1996 court order has been reversed by an appellate panel; however, a motion for rehearing has been filed and the stay continues in effect. Therefore, the AQMD’s existing policy remains in effect. Should the status of the law change at any point during the process of issuing an RFP or RFQ or entering into a contract pursuant to a previously issued RFP or RFQ, the AQMD will abide by the law in effect at the time the action is taken and any RFP or RFQ will be deemed modified to comply with existing law and any provisions in conflict with existing law will not be enforced.

Resource Impacts

The total cost of this project is $996,080 with AQMD’s cost-share not to exceed $246,080. The sponsorship for this project includes:

Direct

IMPCO $ 750,000

AQMD 246,080

Total $ 996,080

Sufficient funds for this project are available in the FY 1996-97 Budget.

Attachment

A - Summary of Evaluation of Responses to RFP # 9697-32.

BD14:6-97a

Attachment A

Summary of Evaluation of Responses to RFP #9697-32

Three proposals were received in response to this RFP. They were from Alternative Energy Systems, Inc. (AES); BKM, Inc. (BKM); and IMPCO Technologies Inc. (IMPCO).

Step 1 - Technical Criteria (70 points minimum, 100 points maximum)

	Proposer
	AES	BKM	IMPCO
Panel Average	18.7	75	89.0
Carry-over (50% of points > 70)	N/A	2.5	9.5

Step 2 - Cost and Other Factors (85 points maximum)

Criteria

Proposer

	AES	BKM	IMPCO
Cost (Maximum = 20 points for lowest cost) (Actual amount)	N/A	20 $199,849	16 $246,080
Cost per Technical Approach and Work Statement (Maximum = 40)	N/A	40	36.5
Co-Funding / Matching Funds (Maximum = 10)	N/A	10	6.4
Certified MBE/WBE/DVBE (Maximum = 10) OR Minimum of 20% Participation by MBE/WBE/DVBE Subcontractors (Maximum = 7)	N/A	7	7
Local Business Enterprise (Maximum = 5)	N/A	0	5
Total	N/A	77	70.9

Total Score (100 points maximum)

Criteria

Proposer

	AES	BKM	IMPCO
Step 1 Carry-over Points (Maximum = 15)	N/A	2.5	9.5
Step 2 Points (Maximum = 85)	N/A	77	70.9
Total	N/A	79.5	80.4