Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s May 25, 2000, meeting. The next MSRC meeting is Thursday, June 22, 2000, at 1:30 p.m. in Room CC8.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Norma J. Glover
AQMD Representative on MSRC
Approval of Minutes
Minutes from the April 27, 2000, MSRC meeting were unanimously approved, as submitted. The minutes are attached for your information (Attachment 1).
Election of MSRC Chair and Vice Chair
Annually during the month of May the MSRC elects its chair and vice chair. At its May 25 meeting, the MSRC unanimously re-elected Palm Springs Mayor Will Kleindienst as chair, and Bradbury Mayor Bea LaPisto Kirtley as vice chair. Mayor Kleindienst represents the Riverside County Transportation Commission and Mayor LaPisto Kirtley represents the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This will be their second term.
FY 2000-01 Work Program
At its May 25, 2000 meeting, the MSRC deliberated on recommendations from its TAC relative to the FY 2000-01 Work Program. The MSRC unanimously approved the final categories and funding allocations for the one-year, $14.5 million work program. The Technical Advisory Committee has now been tasked with preparing RFPs or other solicitation mechanisms for the following:
TCMs ($1 million)
Ridesharing Program ($300,000)
Advanced Traveler Management Information Services ($300,000)
Bicycle Program
-Regional Bicycle Buydown ($100,000)
-Competitive Bicycle Program for Employer Market ($100,000)
Land-Use Program ($200,000)
Clean Fuels ($13.5 million)
Buydown for Light-Duty Alternative Fuel Vehicles ($1 million); this allocation will not result in an RFP, but will be used to augment the current program where funding has been depleted
Local Government Subvention Fund Match Program for Clean Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure (and Potentially Vehicle Purchases) ($3 million)
Alternative Fuel Heavy-Duty On- & Off-Road Vehicles ($3.25 million)
School Bus Program ($2 million); this program is pending the outcome of the Solis bill authorizing $50 million for clean fuel school buses, and will not result in the immediate release of an RFP
Alternative Fuel Transit Bus Program ($4.25 million)
In June the MSRC will consider RFPs for the above programs, and the AQMD Governing Board will consider the work program and RFPs at its July 21, 2000 meeting.
Budget Approved for FY 2000-01 Contract, Administrative and Technical Support for the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Program
The MSRC unanimously approved reimbursement of staff costs in the amount of $450,589 to provide contract and administrative support for FY 2000-01. This includes 3.5 full-time staff as well as part-time support provided by Finance, Contracts, and Legal. An additional $34,569 was approved for reimbursement of miscellaneous costs, such as printing, postage and mailing services, and office supplies. The administrative budget also includes one time expenses of $15,000 for the website development (mentioned below) and $10,000 for the bi-annual audit. Including $63,480*
for technical and program support to be provided by its Technical Advisor (contractor Ray Gorski), total administrative expenditures for FY 2000-01 are proposed at $578,998, approximately $14,681 under the 5% administrative cap mandated by AB 2766.
* This maintains a 50-50 split in the
technical advisor's contract costs between the administrative budget and the
work program as allowed under the law.
Electric Vehicle Survey
In March 2000 the MSRC participated with other stakeholders in conducting an EV survey. Numerous stakeholders participated in the survey to coordinate dissemination amongst as many EV users as possible. The survey was intended to collect data on how EVs are being used, use of infrastructure, and customer satisfaction, among other facts. The survey was to serve two purposes. First, it would assist the MSRC in determining how successful its incentive and infrastructure programs have been, and how future work programs should be structured. Second, the data would assist the CARB as it reviews the ZEV mandate. The survey has been completed and a draft executive summary on the preliminary results were made available to the MSRC. This draft executive summary is attached for your information (Attachment 2).
MSRC Website
In the current work program the MSRC set aside $15,000 from its administrative budget to develop a website where visitors could access information about the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Program including information on funding solicitations and how to submit proposals as well details of past projects. The MSRC's new website is "www.msrc-cleanair.org". At its May 25 meeting the MSRC approved the design and format of the website and recommended a few enhancements. It is anticipated that the website will be operational by July for visitors to access proposal information for the FY 2000-01 Work Program. One caveat, at this time proposals will not be accepted electronically and must still be submitted in printed form c/o of the AQMD.
Final Report Received and Approved
The MSRC unanimously received and approved one final report, as follows: Orange County Sheriff's Department Contract #99014, which provided $5,250 for a Vehicles in Patrol emissions reduction program.
All final reports are filed in the AQMD's Library.
Contract Modification Requests
The MSRC took the following unanimous actions on two contract modifications:
Approved an extension through September 1, 2001, for the installation date of a refueling station and additional time to secure co-funding for (unexecuted) Poma Contract #00033, which provides $250,000 for LNG refueling infrastructure; and
Approved short-term contractual term extensions for two EVCharge infrastructure contracts:
--City of Malibu Contract #99014 ($23,347 for two chargers); and
--Sacramento Municipal Utility District ($18,136 for two chargers).
The MSRC was also informed that $455,000 was returned to the discretionary fund by Pacific Coachways. Unfortunately, the contractor could not proceed with its purchase of 15 alternative fuel transit buses because it lost its project participant. However, Pacific Coachways indicated it would reapply again when a new project participant was identified.
The MSRC traditionally requires that its logo be placed on any vehicle for which it provides the incremental cost. Last year the MSRC awarded $2 million to the United States Postal Service for 400 electric postal service vehicles. Because the Postal Service's policy prohibits placing any form of endorsement on its vehicles, they have agreed to several concessions that should bring considerable attention to EVs. For instance, the Postal Service will send informational mailers to all customers who receive mail delivered by an EV. In addition, media events in each air district will be conducted at the time of deployment of the EV fleet, and signs will be posted where the EVs are domiciled and at Post Offices identifying the benefits of EVs.
Contract Administrator Report
The MSRC's AB 2766 Contract Administrator provided a written status report on all open contracts from FY 1994-95 through the present. This Contract Administrator Report is attached for your information (Attachment 3).
TCMs ($1 million)