South Coast Air Quality Management District

Execute Contracts for Purchase of Equipment to Establish Air Monitoring Station in Mira Loma

SYNOPSIS: 

Recent studies have shown the Mira Loma area of Riverside County to have among the highest particulate matter levels in the SCAQMD. Ambient air monitoring currently conducted in Mira Loma under the CARB Children's Health Study is scheduled to expire at the end of December 2004. There has been a desire by staff and the community to establish a permanent air monitoring station to continue to monitor air quality trends in the Mira Loma area. This action is to execute sole-source contracts with various vendors for the purchase of ambient air monitoring equipment necessary to establish the permanent site, at a cost not to exceed $120,000. Staff is requesting that $35,100 of the $120,000 be transferred from the FY 2002-03 Capital Outlays Major Object to the Services and Supplies Major Object. These transferred funds will be used to provide services for, and implement, the new station. Funds for these purchases are available in the FY 2002-03 Budget.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, November 8, 2002, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Authorize the purchase of one (1) container-based air monitoring station housing on a sole-source basis from Martin Container for an amount not to exceed $21,700.
   
2. Authorize the purchase of one (1) ozone analyzer on a sole-source basis from API Inc. for an amount not to exceed $6,800.
   
3. Authorize the purchase of one (1) carbon monoxide analyzer on a sole-source basis from Horiba Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $8,000.
   
4. Authorize the purchase of one (1) oxides of nitrogen analyzer on a sole-source basis from Thermo Environmental Corp. for an amount not to exceed $11,500.
   
5. Authorize the purchase of one (1) meteorological monitoring system on a sole-source basis from MetOne Instruments for an amount not to exceed $6,300.
   
6. Authorize the purchase of one (1) PM10 Federal Reference Method sampler on a sole-source basis from Andersen Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $6,000.
   
7. Authorize the purchase of one (1) continuous PM2.5 analyzer (BAM) on a sole-source basis from MetOne Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $17,400.
   
8. Authorize the purchase of one (1) data logger on a sole-source basis from Environmental Systems Corp. for an amount not to exceed $7,200.
   
9. Approve the transfer of $35,100 from the Capital Outlays Major Object to the Services and Supplies Major Object within the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2002-03 Budget , as shown in Table A.
   

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The Mira Loma area of Riverside County is subject to some of the highest particulate matter levels in the South Coast Air Basin. It is an area of increasing commercial growth and associated increases in diesel truck activity. For the past several years, the AQMD has assisted CARB in operating an air monitoring station at Jurupa Valley High School for the Children's Health Study. That monitoring is scheduled to be completed at the end of December 2004. Staff believes that a permanent air monitoring station should be established in the Mira Loma area for further air quality trend analysis purposes. This station would be larger and encompass more potential capabilities than the current site. In order to establish the new station, it is necessary to purchase and modify a station housing and equip it with the appropriate monitoring instruments and samplers.

Proposal

For the new monitoring station in Mira Loma, staff is proposing that the station be fully equipped to measure ozone, particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide. In addition, meteorological measurements would be collected. As such, staff is proposing that the following items be purchased:

• one (1) container-based air monitoring station from Martin Container for an amount not to exceed $21,700,

• one (1) ozone analyzer from API for an amount not to exceed $6,800,

• one (1) carbon monoxide analyzer from Horiba Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $8,000,

• one (1) oxides of nitrogen analyzer from Thermo Environmental Corp. for an amount not to exceed $11,500,

• one (1) meteorological monitoring system from MetOne Instruments for an amount not to exceed $6,300,

• one (1) PM10 federal reference method from Andersen Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $6,000,

• one (1) continuous PM2.5 analyzer (BAM) from MetOne Instruments for an amount not to exceed $17,400, and

• one (1) data logger from Environmental Systems Corp. for an amount not to exceed $7,200.

The above model-types of monitoring equipment are currently in use at various AQMD air monitoring stations in the South Coast Air Basin. For consistency, staff is recommending that the above equipment be purchased on a sole-source basis.

In addition, staff is requesting the Board to approve the transfer of $35,100 from Science and Technology Advancement FY 2002-03 Capital Outlays, Major Object to the FY2002-03 Science and Technology Advancement Services and Supplies Major Object. These transferred funds will be used to provide services for, and implement, the new station.

Sole-Source Justification

A sole-source award is authorized under Sections IV.B. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure when a purchase does not lend itself to substitution. 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 provisions B.2.d (6) and B.2.a.

Provision B.2.d (6) permits a sole-source award for "projects requiring compatibility with existing specialized equipment." Items of this request must be compatible with equipment currently in use to maintain consistency with the AQMD telemetry system communications and with equipment in use nationally and statewide. Consistency of equipment assures that parts are interchangeable with existing equipment, making their operation and maintenance cost-effective.

Provision B.2.a. permits sole-source award when "the cost of labor for preparation of the described documents exceeds the possible savings that could be derived from such detailed documents." To minimize overall cost, staff recommends that the station housing and instrumentation be purchased as individual items and then integrated into a container-based air monitoring station by AQMD personnel. The cost of processing RFQs for eight (8) single items would far exceed any cost savings that may result from competitive procurement.

A total of $120,000 has been allocated in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2002-03 Budget, Capital Outlays Major Object for the establishment of the new Mira Loma air monitoring station. Funds not expended to purchase fixed assets are needed to cover the cost of site preparation, sampling manifold, access to electricity, and miscellaneous parts to integrate the instrumentation into the station housing. Staff recommends that $35,100 of the $120,000 allocated to the Capital Outlays Major Object be reallocated to the Services and Supplies Major Object according to Table A, to cover the above costs of implementation, including supplies for the new station.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds are available in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2002-03 Budget.

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