BOARD MEETING DATE: April 2, 2004
AGENDA NO. 33

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS:

Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s February 26, 2004 meeting. The MSRC also met on Thursday, March 25, 2004, to brainstorm categories and funding options for its next work program. A summary will be provided in the May Board package. The MSRC meets next on Thursday, April 22, 2004, at 1:30 p.m. in Room CC8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Michael D. Antonovich
AQMD Representative on MSRC

Minutes

Minutes from the November 20, 2003 and January 22, 2004 meetings were unanimously approved. They are attached for your information (Attachments 1&2).

Update on FY 2003-04 Work Program

Staff reported on the status of six solicitations released as part of the FY 2003-04 Work Program, as follows:
 

Category	Solicitation Type/Number	Proposals Received	Amount Requested	Closing Date
Diesel Exhaust After-Treatment Devices	Program Announcement #PA 2004-06	7 (to date)	$4,654,500	April 9, 2004
On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles	Request for Proposals #P2004-11	8	$1,696,212	Jan. 30, 2004
Off-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles	Request for Proposals #P2004-12	9	$7,529,520	Jan. 30, 2004
Alt. Fuel & Adv. Technology Transit Buses	Request for Proposals #P2004-13	5	$3,395,704	Jan. 30, 2004
Regional Commuter Buspool Program	Program Opportunity Notice #PON 2004-01	5	$2,840,426	Jan. 30, 2004
Local Government Match Program	Program Announcement #P2004-05	31 (to date)	$4,391,469	April 9, 2004
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure	Request for Proposals #P2004-14	0 (to date)	$0	April 9, 2004
Total Requested Funding (to date)			$24,507,831

Policy Adopted to Disallow "Double Dipping"

The MSRC’s practice, to maximize leveraging of its monies, has been to deny requests for funding which would "double dip" between work program years and/or across multiple funding categories. Recently, the MSRC realized their practice does not address the ambiguity of what constitutes a discrete project, primarily relating to infrastructure projects, which may involve initial station construction versus an expansion or upgrade of an existing station. Therefore, the MSRC adopted a new policy, as follows: "The MSRC generally will not allow funding from multiple categories for incomplete MSRC projects. However, infrastructure projects may be considered complete for purposes of this policy if the initial station, expansion or upgrade construction funded is complete and operational." This language will be included in future MSRC solicitations.

CNG School Bus Purchasing Cooperative

The MSRC is examining ways to further assist smaller school districts in replacing older diesel-fueled school buses with new CNG buses. One approach is to piggyback on AQMD funding programs. Another approach is the formation of a CNG school bus purchasing cooperative. This cooperative would require coordination between the MSRC and AQMD to ensure the lowest possible purchase price for new CNG buses is made available to school districts. The MSRC directed staff to continue to coordinate efforts with the AQMD and bring back additional information to support development of the FY 2004-05 CNG School Bus Incentive Program.

Final Report Received and Approved

The MSRC unanimously received and approved one final report for Sukut Construction, Inc. Contract #MS03034, which provided $557,653 to re-power five off-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles with new low-emission engines certified to CARB’s Tier I emission standards.

All final reports are filed in the AQMD's library and a two-page summary of each closed project can be viewed in the electronic library on the MSRC's Web site at http://www.msrc-cleanair.org.

Contract Modification Requests

The MSRC took action on five contract modification requests, as follows:

1)	For Omnitrans Contract #01013, which provides $508,250 for the purchase of 13 CNG transit buses, denial of modifications to statement of work to adjust vehicle type and 28-month term extension;
2)	For Omnitrans Contract #02004, which provides $196,926 for the purchase of 14 CNG transit buses, denial of modifications to statement of work to adjust vehicle type and 10-month term extension;
3)	For City of Cathedral City Contract #03032, which provides $79,036 under the Coachella Valley PM10 Reduction Program, approval to re-allocate funds from road paving to wind fencing and a three-month term extension with authority granted to the MSRC’s Contract Administrator to extend up to six months at her discretion, but denial to re-allocate funds from shoulder stabilization towards event-focused street sweeping and from road paving to a blow-sand project (funded already under another MSRC contract).
4)	For TransVironmental Solutions Contract #03038, which provides $440,200 to implement the Regional Vanpool Program, approval to modify definitions in the contract as they apply to eligible participants for a vanpool driver, and approval to receive employer-provided incentives coupled with MSRC incentives, but denial to proceed with Task II before Task I deliverables are complete; and
5)	For City of Commerce Contract #L0208, which provides $105,005 to install a CNG station and purchase four heavy-duty CNG vehicles, approval for a six-month term extension.

Contract Administrator Report

The MSRC's AB 2766 Contract Administrator provided a written status report on all open contracts from FY 1999-00 through the present. This Contract Administrator Report is attached for your information.

Attachments

1. Approved November 20, 2003 Minutes
2. Approved January 22, 2004 Minutes
3. Contract Administrator Report

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