BOARD MEETING DATE: August 3, 2007
AGENDA NO. 2

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the re-issuance of the retrofit part of the Program Announcement and Application PA #2006-09 to retrofit additional diesel school buses with funds made available from the state, interest money and unused funds from previous awards for PM traps.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

To reduce emissions from these school buses, AQMD has used state funds and its own funds to replace older diesel buses with new lower-emitting diesel or CNG buses, and to retrofit particulate traps on school buses. In the past, AQMD has awarded $86.9 million to purchase 427 CNG school buses, 86 new diesel school buses, and 2,553 PM traps. Over 50 percent of these funds have gone to school buses operating in communities meeting legislated criteria for disproportionate impacts, as set forth in Health and Safety Code Section 43023.5 (AB 1390, Firebaugh).

At its May 5, 2006 meeting, the Board issued a Program Announcement (#2006-09) that made available $5,449,000 in state funds to retrofit diesel school buses. On October 6, 2006, the Board awarded 452 PM traps to public schools and private operators.

Proposal

State has recently informed AQMD that up to $2 million in school bus retrofit funds from unused funds from other air districts may be available to AQMD. Since the AQMD’s recent award on October 6, 2006, other funds for PM traps have also become available. These surplus funds include:

• As noted above, upto $2 million, or a portion thereof, in state funds
• $250,000 in interest funds
• $67,000 in unused PM trap funds from the October 6, 2006 award, and
• Other unused PM trap funds from previous AQMD awards or interest earnings

Staff therefore recommends that the Board approve re-issue of the retrofit part of
PA #2006-09 with revised dates, and the condition that all awarded PM traps must be retrofitted by June 30, 2008.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP/RFQ and inviting bids will be published in the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Bernardino Sun, and Riverside County Press Enterprise newspapers to leverage the most cost-effective method of outreach to the entire South Coast Basin.

Additionally, potential bidders may be notified utilizing AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors.  Notice of the RFP/RFQ will be mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, the State of California Contracts Register website, and will be placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site (http://www.aqmd.gov where it can be viewed by making menu selections “Inside AQMD”/“Employment and Business Opportunities”/“Business Opportunities” or by going directly to http://www.aqmd.gov/rfp/index.html).  Information will also be available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Benefits to AQMD

The successful implementation of the Lower-Emission School Bus Retrofit Program will provide less polluting and safer school transportation for school children, and will reduce public exposure to toxic diesel particulate matter emissions.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds will be available in the Lower Emission School Bus Program Fund to retrofit diesel school buses with PM traps.

Attachment (417 kb)
Program Announcement & Application #PA 2006-09 with revised dates.