South Coast Air Quality Management District

Execute Purchase Orders for Laboratory and Air Monitoring Network Equipment

SYNPOSIS: 

On February 1, 2002 the Board approved the release of an RFQ to purchase a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer for analysis of compliance samples. Also, the Board recognized and allocated funding from EPA for 9^th year PAMS fixed assets and reallocated a portion of unused funds from EPA for PM2.5 fixed assets on July 20, 2001 and October 19, 2001, respectively. This action is to execute purchase orders for various fixed assets for the laboratory and air monitoring network and to appropriate $10,000 from the Reserve for Subvention Compliance to the FY 2001-02 Budget. With the latter action, funds for these purchases are available in the FY 2001-02 Budget.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, May 10, 2002, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Appropriate $10,000 from the Reserve for Subvention Compliance to the Science & Technology Advancement FY 2001-02 Budget, Capital Outlay Major Object, to supplement $120,000 previously appropriated, and authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a purchase order with Gerstel, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $130,000 for the purchase of one (1) gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer.
   
   
2. Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a purchase order with RM Environmental Systems, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $26,000 for the purchase of two (2) VOC samplers on a sole-source basis.
   
   
3. Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a purchase order with ATEC Inc. for an amount not to exceed $28,000 for the purchase of one (1) carbonyl sampler on a sole-source basis.
   
   
4. Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a purchase order with Met One Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $20,500 for the purchase of one (1) PM2.5 speciation sampler on a sole-source basis.
   
   
5. Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a purchase order with Met One Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $46,000 for the purchase of two (2) continuous PM2.5 particulate samplers on a sole-source basis.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Staff is requesting the replacement of several laboratory and air monitoring equipment due to the age of the existing equipment. Over the last few months, staff has gathered information on the replacement costs and this letter provides a summary of the requested replacement equipment.

On March 1, 2002, AQMD re-released RFQ #Q2001-19R to competitively select a vendor from which to purchase a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) system. Concurrently, the Board appropriated $120,000 from the Reserve for Subvention Compliance to the Science & Technology Advancement FY 2001-02 Budget, Capital Outlay Major Object for this item. The GC/MS system is used to analyze VOC in paints and coatings, source emissions, soot samples, and other organic compliance samples. The GC/MS system currently used for this purpose is over fifteen years old and in need of more frequent repair. Spare parts are no longer supported by the vendor and instrument instability is compromising the sensitivity, precision and accuracy of the analysis of compliance samples. The replacement of the existing GC/MS system will ensure not only a higher operational reliability, but also will provide increased sensitivity and accuracy of analysis.

The federally mandated PAMS program is now in its ninth year. Some of the equipment originally purchased for the intensive ambient VOC sampling and speciation analysis program is requiring increased maintenance and subject to more frequent breakdown. Should a sampler be down for any period of time, there are no replacements that can be put into service to ensure adequate data capture for the program. The two VOC samplers and one carbonyl sampler proposed for purchase will replace failing units and enable staff to recondition older units without a significant loss of PAMS data. These fixed asset purchases were approved by EPA in the ninth year PAMS funding allocation, and approved by the Board at the July 20, 2001 meeting.

The federally mandated PM2.5 program added a speciation requirement last year, and although EPA provided speciation samplers for those sites identified in the PM2.5 speciation plan, it was agreed that an additional sampler would provide a means to minimize data loss should a major sampler malfunction occur. Also, two additional CARB-specified continuous PM2.5 analyzers are required to complete the continuous PM2.5 network with the same type of analyzer used statewide for data consistency and comparability. This reallocation of funds for fixed assets was approved by the EPA, and approved by the Board at the October 19, 2001 meeting.

Proposal

This action is to authorize purchase of one (1) gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system for laboratory analysis of compliance samples from Gerstel, Inc., the lowest qualified bidder, for an amount not to exceed $130,000, upon the appropriation of those funds from the Subvention Reserves for Compliance Program to the Science & Technology Advancement fixed asset major budget object. This item is needed to analyze VOCs in paints, coatings, and other VOC-containing materials in support of the AQMD compliance program.

Further, this action is to authorize purchase of the following items from the identified vendors, on a sole source basis:

• two (2) Model 910A/912-CARB VOC samplers to support the PAMS program from RM Environmental Systems, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $26,000
• one Model 2400/2448 (1) carbonyl sampler to support the PAMS program from ATEC Inc. for an amount not to exceed $28,000
• one (1) Model Super/SASS sequential speciation sampler to support the PM2.5 program from Met One Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $20,500
• two Model CARB-TYPE 1020 BAM (2) continuous particulate samplers to support the PM2.5 program from Met One Instruments, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $46,000

These items are needed to support the air monitoring network for the PAMS program to complete the speciation and continuous monitoring aspects of the PM2.5 program.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, public notices advertising the RFQs and inviting bids were published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	11.	La Opinion	21.	Press Enterprise
2.	Black Voice News	12.	La Prensa	22.	The Signal
3.	Chinese Daily News	13.	La Voz	23.	The Sun
4.	Desert Sun	14	Los Angeles Daily News	24.	Wave Community Newspapers
5.	Eastern Group Publications	15.	Los Angeles Sentinel	25.	State of California Contracts
6.	El Chicano	16.	Los Angeles Times		Register
7.	El Informador	17.	Orange County Register
8	Excelsior, The	18.	Philippine News
9.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	19.	Precinct Reporter
10.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	20.	Rafu Shimpo

Individuals and vendors from the Los Angeles County MTA and Cal Trans Directories of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises, the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory, the AQMD’s certified minority vendors and Purchasing’s mailing list, and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations were also notified of this RFQ via direct mail. This RFQ was placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business & Job Opportunities" icon], and advertised on the AQMD’s bidder 24-hour telephone message line.

Bid Evaluation

Eight (8) copies of RFQ # Q2001-19R were mailed out. Two (2) quotations were received when the bidding closed at 2:00 p.m. on April 2, 2002. An evaluation panel was convened to evaluate the quotations, according to the criteria described in the RFQ. The panel consisted of five (5) AQMD staff -- one (1) Principal Air Quality Chemist and four (4) Air Quality Chemists -- and one (1) CARB staff -- Air Quality Specialist -- four (4) Caucasian, two (2) Asian; one (1) male and five (5) females. The panel, based on its evaluation, determined that the quotation submitted by Gerstel was the only qualified bid (see Attachment A for a summary of the panel evaluation). Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a contract with Gerstel, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $130,000 for one (1) gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system.

Sole-Source Justification

A sole-source award is authorized under Section 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 provision B.2.d.(6), Projects requiring compatibility with existing specialized equipment. This equipment must be compatible with existing equipment if parts are to be interchangeable with existing equipment. This consistency of instrumentation provides economies of scale in training, operation, repair and maintenance of the equipment, thereby reducing overall maintenance costs. The sole-source purchase of the continuous PM2.5 particulate analyzers is further based on using CARB tested and recommended instruments to maintain consistency in data comparability with the statewide network.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds are available from the Reserves for Subvention Compliance to supplement the previously appropriated $120,000 from this reserve, for the purchase of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. Further, sufficient funds are available in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2002-03 2001-02 Budget under Fixed Asset # 25 and #29 for sole-source PAMS-funded purchases, and under Fixed Asset #39 and #40 for sole-source PM2.5-funded purchases.

Attachment

1. Quotation Evaluation of RFQ #Q2001-19R

Attachment A
Quotation Evaluation of
Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer
RFQ #Q2001-R19
 

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