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REPORT:

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS:

Set forth below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s January 29, 1998 meeting. The next MSRC meeting is Thursday, February 26, 1998, at 1:30 p.m. in AQMD Conference Room CC2.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file this report.

Nell Soto
AQMD Board Representative on MSRC

Minutes

The minutes of the November 20, 1997, monthly meeting were approved, as submitted, and are provided for your information as Attachment 1.

Retreat between MSRC and its Technical Advisory Committee

The MSRC has scheduled a one-day retreat with its Technical Advisory Committee on Tuesday, March 31, 1998, at 9:00 a.m. at the Kellogg West Center on the Cal Poly Pomona campus. This is the first retreat between both committees. The meeting will be properly noticed and agendized.

Bidders’ Conference and Technical Workshops

For the second-year funding in the FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, seven RFPs are currently open for the following: CNG School Bus Buydown Program; Alternative Fuel Transit Bus Program; On-Road & Off-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicle Diesel Pollution Reduction Program; Bicycle Projects; Videoconferencing Projects; Transit-Oriented Development Land-Use Strategies; and HOT Lane Demonstration Projects. The On-Road & Off-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicle Diesel Pollution Reduction Program includes a streamlined six-month application process which commenced January 6, 1998. The remaining RFPs close on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 5:00 p.m. To assist potential bidders, the MSRC conducted a Bidders’ Conference on Wednesday, January 14, 1998, at 9:00 a.m. in the AQMD’s Auditorium. It was attended by approximately 100 potential proposers. To further assist potential bidders, the MSRC also conducted two technical workshops on Tuesday, January 27, and Thursday, January 29, 1998. Both workshops were well attended and quite successful.

Approval of Qualifications Package for Ford EV Ranger for Participation in the MSRC’s EV "Quick Charge" Program

In September 1996 we approved the first qualified manufacturer and qualifications package for participation in the MSRC’s EV "Quick Charge" Program. At that time we authorized the MSRC to approve future qualification packages. The MSRC unanimously approved the qualifications package for the Ford EV Ranger as part of the FY 1995-97 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. The MSRC’s $5,000 manufacturers’ incentive reduced the lease price for the EV Ranger from $633 to $499. The vehicle purchase price is less than $20,000 with the MSRC’s $5,000 buydown, Ford’s own $5,000 incentive, and EPA’s 10% incentive. The EV Ranger operates on a conductive charger using lead acid batteries and has a range of 71 miles. Later this year Ford will offer a nickel-metal hydride battery upgrade. At this time the City of Chino Hills has already requested two EV Rangers for purchase, and the City of Palm Springs plans to purchase three through the MSRC’s Local Government Subvention Match Program.

To date the MSRC has approved five vehicles for the $5,000 manufacturers’ buydown: General Motors’ EV-1 and S-10 electric pickup; Honda’s EV Plus; the Solectria Force electric sedan; and the Ford EV Ranger.

Southern California EV Charging Infrastructure Study

In October 1997, as part of its FY 1997-99 Work Program the MSRC committed $8,000 towards a $100,000 Southern California EV Charging Infrastructure Study. The study, which was conducted by the California Electric Transportation Coalition, in coordination with a consortium of private/public agencies and automobile manufacturers, is now complete. The MSRC unanimously received and filed the report on the study and will be using information from the study for future EV planning and implementation. The CARB representative on the MSRC commented that the report was outstanding and very informative. The report will be filed in the AQMD’s Library.

RFP to Obtain Project Consultant for Second Phase of EV Infrastructure Planning and Implementation

The MSRC’s EV "Quick Charge" Program, launched in the FY 1995-97 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, has already resulted in more than 300 EVs on the streets and 400 alternative fuel charging stations currently under construction. The MSRC included additional funds in its FY 1997-99 Work Program for the second phase of this effort. At this time the MSRC proposes to release an RFP in the amount of $125,000 to obtain a Project Consultant for the second phase of EV infrastructure planning and implementation, known as the EVCharge Program. The Consultant will develop an EV Infrastructure Strategic Plan, outreach and marketing materials, and oversee deployment of the EVCharge Program. At its January 29, 1998 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved release of this RFP, #9798-29, and it has been included for consideration on our February 13, 1998, Governing Board agenda.

Sole-Source Contract with The Planning Center for EV Signage Implementation and EV Charging Station Signage Guidelines

The MSRC’s FY 1997-99 Work Program included $500,000 for signage implementation to procure and install directional signs for publicly accessible EV charging stations. After launching its EV "Quick Charge" Program in the FY 1995-97 Work Program, the MSRC recognized the need for signage implementation. In early 1997, to begin the process, the MSRC amended the existing contract with its Outreach Coordinator, The Planning Center, who was obtained through a formal bid process. Through that contract, The Planning Center obtained state approval for a word message and developed preliminary signage guidelines for site owners, cities and Caltrans, the permitting and general process for implementation, and detailed maps and plans for signage location placement. To continue their work and complete signage implementation, the MSRC ‘s Technical Advisory Committee and EV Subcommittee proposed a $500,000 sole-source contract with The Planning Center. At its January 29, 1998 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved this $500,000 sole-source award as part of its FY 1997-99 Work Program, requesting broad outreach for the portion of the contract which will be subcontracted. In addition, the MSRC unanimously received and filed the preliminary signage guidelines prepared by The Planning Center. As part of the sole-source contract, The Planning Center will finalize these guidelines after the MSRC’s program is complete so that future EV charging station programs can easily incorporate directional signs along with the installation of EV charging stations. The guidelines will also be available to other communities as they proceed with their EV infrastructure programs. The sole-source award has been included for consideration on our February 13, 1998, Governing Board agenda.

Reimbursement of FY 1997-98 First Quarter Staff and Contract Administration and Technical Support Costs

In May 22, 1997, the MSRC approved the reimbursement of AQMD staff and contract administration and technical support for FY 1997-98 in the amount of $545,000. For the FY 1997-98 first quarter staff and contract administration costs were $110,794 and technical support costs were $28,921.

Receipt and Approval of Final Reports

The MSRC unanimously received and approved ten final reports. They are as follows:

1. City of Glendale Contract #C94006, which provided $184,000 for an LNG Systems Electronic Services project;

2. Orange County Transportation Authority Contract #C94031, which provided $175,000 for development of a transit system analysis model;

3. Noxtech, Inc. Contract #C95009, which provided $282,000 for development of a plasma particulate and NOx reduction trap;

4. Omnitrans Contract #C95014, which provided $866,475 for purchase of CNG transit buses;

5. City of Burbank Contract #C95025, which provided $500,000 for a clean air shuttle system;

6. Foothill Transit Contract #C95027, which provided $290,000 for a rail feeder project;

7. Conservation Technology Contract #C96005, which provides $275,000 for heavy-duty CNG trucks;

8. Echelon Industries, Inc. Contract #C96016, which provided $321,200 for development and implementation of a Torrance transit faretrans VMS;

9. Shafer Corporation Contract #C96020, which provided $501,109 for purchase of light-duty vehicles powered by fuel cells; and

10. Countess & Cohen LLC Contract #C97015, which provided $200,000 for an advanced remote sensing technology demonstration.

All final reports are filed in the AQMD’s Library.

Contract Modification Requests

The MSRC took the following unanimous actions on requested contract modifications:

1. Approval of Phase I for Air Instruments and Measurements, Inc. Contract #C96028, which provides $315,362 to develop and field test a remote sensing device;

2. Approval of a nine-month contractual term extension, contingent that there be no further extensions, for Stevens/Garland Associates Contract #C96031, which provides $173,375 for a transit integration program;

3. Approval of removal of stop-work order and 14-month contractual term extension for Noxtech Contract #97005, which provides $210,000 to demonstrate a plasma assisted catalyst muffler;

4. Approval of five and one-half month contractual term extension for Anaheim Transportation Network Contract #97009, which provides $43,720 for an alternative fuel fleet program;

5. Approval of a scope change allowing for new participants and cost reallocations reducing the number of vehicles by five for Battelle Memorial Institute Contract #97016, which provides $1,368,735 for an alternative fuel fleet program;

6. Approval of a cost reallocation for University of California Riverside/CE-CERT Contract #C96023, which provides $637,284 to design and develop hybrid EVs;

7. Approval of a nine-month contractual term extension for Southern California Association of Governments Contract #96027, which provides $304,000 for goods movement modeling; and

8. Approval for Contract Administrator to send a certified letter requesting supporting document on contract within 30 days, and if not received, termination of contract for Bank of America Contract #C94041, which provides $108,500 to demonstrate the operation of electric buses.

The MSRC also received and filed a report on "Scope Changes Handled Administratively by the AQMD Contract Administrator" for the month of January 1998, which included four short-term contractual term extensions, pursuant to MSRC policy, as follows: 1) three-month extension for Local Government Commission Contract #97003, which provides $125,000 for land-use planning workshops; 2) two-month extension for US Electricar Contract #C97017, which provides $325,000 for electrification of ground service equipment; 3) three-month extension for LA World Airports Contract #96015, which provides $600,000 for the purchase of ten CNG buses; and 4) three-month extension for CE-CERT Contract #C97012, which provides $117,769 for a microlite automotive catalytic converter.

Contract Administrator Report

The MSRC's AB 2766 Contract Administrator provided a written status report on all fiscal year contracts. This Contract Administrator Report is attached for your information (Attachment 2). This Report includes a spreadsheet on the Local Government Subvention Match Program listing those projects that have met MSRC program requirements to date.

Attachments

1 - Approved November 20, 1997, MSRC monthly minutes

2 - Contract Administrator Report

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