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Approve Purchase of Special Purpose CNG Vans for Servicing Air Monitoring Network

SYNOPSIS: 

Specially configured cargo vans are used in the calibration and repair of air monitoring equipment at our monitoring stations. The current vans have excessive mileage and require frequent repair. Two vans are included in the FY 1999-00 fixed asset budget. EPA agreed to fund the third van from $35,000 in 5^th year PAMS Section 103 Grant funds originally allocated for a pick-up truck with lift gate. This action is to re-designate previously approved fixed asset from a pick-up truck to a van, and to purchase three special purpose vans from the State of California Statewide Vehicle Contract Program, on a sole-source basis.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, March 10, 2000, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Re-designate Fixed Asset #31 in the FY 1999-00 Budget from pick-up truck with liftgate to a CNG-fueled cargo van.
   
   
2. Approve the purchase of three CNG-fueled cargo vans from the State of California Contract for 2000 Model Year vehicles on a sole-source basis at a cost not to exceed $75,000.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

As a part of the ambient air quality monitoring network, specially configured cargo vans are needed to transport equipment, instruments, compressed gas cylinders, and tools used by staff to calibrate and repair the monitoring instruments, samplers, telemetry systems and ancillary equipment at AQMD’s air monitoring sites. The three vans that are proposed for replacement have between 170,000 miles and 240,000 miles, and require frequent repair.

Two replacement vans are included in the FY 1999-00 Budget. A third van was originally funded as a pick-up truck with lift gate as part of the PAMS 5^th year funding, which the Board recognized and approved in October 1999. Due to the age and mileage of the vans to be replaced, AQMD staff requested and received approval from EPA Region IX to use the PAMS funds to purchase a third van in lieu of the pick-up truck.

Proposal

Staff recommends that the Board re-designate Fixed Asset #31 in the FY 1999-00 Budget from pick-up truck with lift gate to a CNG-fueled cargo van and approve the purchase of three CNG-fueled cargo vans from the State of California Contract for 2000 Model Year vehicles on a sole-source basis.

Sole-Source Justification

Section VIII, (B)(2) of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole-source award may be justified. This request for a sole-source purchase is made under provision VIII, (B)(2)(a) which allows a sole-source purchase if "the cost of labor for preparation of the described documents exceeds the possible savings that could be derived from such detailed documents." In this case, the State of California has already solicited competitive bids for the vans required, as well as many other vehicles, and has selected the most cost-competitive proposals. A second solicitation for a far smaller quantity of vehicles is not expected to provide cost savings significant to offset the cost of labor involved in soliciting bids through an RFP process.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds are available in the FY 1999-00 Budget.

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