BOARD MEETING DATE: November 5, 2004
AGENDA NO. 8

Execute Contract to Perform Evaporative Emission Testing of Gasoline Heavy-Duty Hybrid-Electric Bus

SYNOPSIS:

On June 4, 2004, the Board approved release of an RFP to perform evaporative emission testing on a gasoline heavy-duty hybrid-electric bus. Two proposals were received, reviewed, and scored by a panel of experts from the U.S. EPA, CARB and AQMD. This action is to award a contract to perform evaporative emission testing to Automotive Testing and Development Services, Incorporated. The total cost for this project will not exceed $260,000.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, October 22, 2004, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Automotive Testing and Development Services, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $260,000, from the returned Clean Fuels Fund match to the Carl Moyer Program which was redesignated by the Board on March 5, 2004.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Over 50 percent of the Basin’s VOC and hydrocarbon emissions inventory can be attributed to gasoline mobile sources. Evaporative hydrocarbon emissions from gasoline fuel are significant since they contribute to ozone formation in the Basin, and add to the challenge of meeting the federal standards for air quality by 2010. In recognition of this challenge, the U.S. EPA and CARB adopted very stringent evaporative hydrocarbon emission standards for 2001 and newer gasoline vehicles.

In October 2003, CARB certified the gasoline hybrid-electric drive system manufactured by ISE Research. This drive system has exhaust emissions of 0.4 g/bhp-hr NMHC+NOx, which makes considerable progress toward meeting the future transit bus standards of 0.2 g/bhp-hr NMHC+NOx starting in 2007. Because such drive systems use gasoline, an evaporative control system is used on each vehicle to prevent gasoline vapors in the fuel tank and other components from escaping into the atmosphere. Due to their large size, gasoline heavy-duty vehicles are not physically tested but have their evaporative control systems designed and certified using mathematical models, which are based on light-duty vehicle systems. Without direct test data to verify compliance, however, there is concern that the evaporative emissions could be higher than expected, which would negate the extremely low exhaust emissions of the heavy-duty, gasoline hybrid-electric drive system.

As a result, on June 4, 2004 the Board approved the release of RFP #P2004-26 to perform evaporative emission testing on a gasoline heavy-duty hybrid-electric bus in an amount not to exceed $300,000.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP/RFQ and inviting bids was published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	11.	La Opinion	21.	Rafu Shimpo
2.	Black Voice News	12.	La Prensa Hispan	22.	San Bernardino Sun
3.	Chinese Daily News	13.	La Voz Publications	23.	State of California Contracts
4.	Desert Sun	14.	Los Angeles Daily News		Register
5.	Eastern Group Publications	15.	Los Angeles Sentinel	24.	The Daily Breeze
6.	El Chicano	16.	Los Angeles Times	25.	The Excelsior
7.	El Informador	17.	Orange County Register	26.	The Signal
8.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	18.	Philippine News	27.	Wave Community Newspapers
9.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	19.	Precinct Reporter
10.	Korea Central Daily	20	Press Enterprise

Additionally, potential bidders were notified utilizing the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Firms, the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; and AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. Notice of the RFP/RFQ was mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site (http://www.aqmd.gov). Information was also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724. Potential vendors were also notified including various consultants from Technology Advancement's database.

Selection Process

Two proposals were received by the bidding deadline of August 20, 2004 at 5:00 p.m., both of which proposed to construct a smaller test vehicle consisting of the drivetrain engine, fuel tank and evaporative control system of the ISE Research gasoline hybrid-electric bus. Pursuant to the Procurement Policy and Procedure, the RFP identified 70 possible points for the technical score and 30 possible points for the cost score. A review panel (panel) with expertise in gasoline evaporative testing and heavy-duty vehicles was assembled to evaluate the two proposals. Comprising the panelists were two mechanical engineers from the U.S. EPA, one air pollution specialist associate and one air resources engineer from CARB, and one program supervisor from the AQMD; five male; two Asian-Pacific Islander and three Caucasian.

Of the two proposals, only one was deemed technically qualified by the panel. The results of their evaluation are listed in Attachment A.

Proposal

Based on the panel’s evaluation, staff recommends awarding a contract to Automotive Testing and Development Services, Inc. (ATDS). ATDS also qualified as both a Small Business and a Local Business.

ATDS will construct a test vehicle consisting of the drivetrain engine, fuel tank and evaporative control system of the ISE Research gasoline hybrid-electric drive system. This functionally equivalent surrogate vehicle will be tested in a conventional evaporative test chamber. Two sets of 72-hour and 48-hour diurnal evaporative emission tests will be conducted including diagnostic sampling. Based upon these results, additional testing may be performed, if warranted and agreed upon by AQMD and the contractor.

ATDS, headquartered in Ontario, California, has been providing certification and emission testing support to the automotive industry sine 1989, and individual staff members have over 30 years experience in engineering and automotive design and testing. This expertise includes emission control system design, closed-loop computer control systems, aftermarket catalytic converter certification test programs, mileage accumulation durability testing, small-volume manufacturer certification, as well as having run thousands of exhaust and evaporative emission tests. ATDS has the only independent, fully equipped emission testing laboratory in Southern California. It has performed evaporative emission testing for Ford Motor Company, Mazda R&D of America, Hyundai Motor Company and Daewoo Motors of America. ATDS has approximately 150 employees.

Benefits to AQMD

The 2003 AQMP relies on the expedited implementation of advanced technologies and clean-burning fuels in Southern California to achieve air quality standards. This project will help determine if the new gasoline hybrid-electric technology will meet evaporative emission expectations. In doing so, this project will not only verify the ISE Research hybrid evaporative controls, but also add to the body of knowledge for evaporative emissions testing modeling and hybrid drivetrain surrogate testing.

The 2004 Update of the Technology Advancement Plan for the Clean Fuels Program includes the proposed project, "Evaluate and Demonstrate Hybrid Heavy-Duty Vehicles." This project calls for significant emission reductions through the use of hybrid electric technology with performance comparable to conventional vehicles.

Resource Impacts

On March 5, 2004, the Board authorized the use of returned Carl Moyer Program funds in the amount of $300,000 for the evaporative emission testing of gasoline-hybrid transit buses. These returned funds originated from the Clean Fuels Fund as a local match to the Carl Moyer Program for FY 1999-00. The total cost to the AQMD for ATDS to perform evaporative emission testing will not exceed $260,000 from these returned funds. This includes $220,000 for test vehicle construction and the required set of tests, and $40,000 for additional testing, if indicated.

Attachment A

Evaluation Scores

Attachment A
Results of Panel Evaluation of Proposals received in Response to
RFP #2004-26
 

Of the two proposals received, and based on the scoring presented below, the Wallace Environmental Engineering proposal was not technically qualified since the average technical score was below the required 56 points. Automotive Testing and Development Services was technically qualified with an average technical score of 62. The following table summarizes the individual technical scores by each of the review panelists.
 

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