BOARD MEETING DATE: May 4, 2007
AGENDA NO. 23

REPORT:

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS:

Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s regular April 19, 2007 meeting. The MSRC’s next meeting is tentatively Thursday, May 31, 2007. This meeting will serve as their annual retreat and will be offsite.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Jeri G. Voge
Sr. Deputy District Counsel/
Legal Liaison to the MSRC

Revised Award to Student Transportation of America for CNG School Bus Incentives

The MSRC allocated $4 million under the FY 2006-07 Work Program for CNG school bus incentives for private pupil transportation providers, and requested the AQMD administer the program on a first-come, first-served basis. Previously, under this program Student Transportation of America (STA) was awarded $1,137,580 for 23 CNG school buses to fulfill a contract with the Riverside Unified School District. Subsequently, the school district determined it needed only ten full-sized buses. The school district must have the buses by September for the 2007-08 school year. STA cannot order them through the manufacturer to meet that date. Instead they will seek the buses from one of the MSRC’s qualified school bus vendors which has buses in stock. However, the cost per bus will be higher. Therefore, STA has also asked that the incentive per bus be increased to $60,000 to match the incentive provided to public school districts. At its April 19, 2007 meeting the MSRC unanimously approved the revised award of $600,000 to STA. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its June 1, 2007 meeting.

Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Project Awarded under FY 2006-07 Work Program

As an element of Phase I of their FY 2006-07 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, the MSRC allocated $3.5 million for the implementation of an alternative fuel infrastructure program. The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Funding Opportunities Program Announcement, #PA2007-05, provides funds for new as well as upgraded or expanded alternative fuel stations as well as maintenance facility modifications. New publicly accessible stations are eligible for 50 percent of hardware and installation costs up to a maximum of $250,000 to $350,000 depending upon station type. New limited access stations are eligible for 25 percent of costs up to a maximum of $150,000, except that “high volume” limited access stations can receive 50 percent of project costs up to a maximum of $350,000. Upgrades/expansions are eligible for 50 percent of costs up to $150,000 for public access and 25 percent up to $75,000 for limited access. Maintenance facility modifications are eligible for 50 percent of costs up to $50,000. The MSRC’s award combined with any AQMD cost-sharing may not exceed 50 percent of the total project costs. The maximum funding for any one entity cannot exceed 60 percent of the total funding in this work program category. The extended application period for the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Funding Opportunities Program is October 6, 2006 through May 25, 2007. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved an award to the City of Los Angeles in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for modifications to their North Central Maintenance Facility to accommodate repair and maintenance of alternative fuel vehicles. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

Additional School Bus Incentive Funding Awarded to MSRC’s School Bus Vendor

The MSRC also allocated $1 million for CNG school bus incentives for public school districts as part of the FY 2006-07 Phase I AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. The MSRC approved awards of $500,000 each to A-Z Bus Sales and BusWest, vendors previously qualified through an RFQ process. As in previous years, school districts are able to purchase CNG buses from the MSRC’s qualified vendors at a discount of $60,000 per bus. All monies designated for this category have been expended. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved an additional $100,000 for A-Z Bus Sales to fulfill an order from Menifee Unified School District. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC also reverted $50,000 unused from the prior year, FY 2005-06, CNG School Bus Incentive Program to the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund. The monies can now be used for other programs.

Addendum to FY 2006-07 Local Government Program Announcement

As part of the MSRC’s FY 2006-07 Phase II AB2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, on February 2, 2007, the AQMD Board approved Program Announcement #PA2007-09: Local Government Match Program. Eligible categories include providing a dollar-for-dollar match for heavy-duty alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuel infrastructure, as well as a new category to fund street sweeping operations using low-emission alternative fuel street sweepers in jurisdictions that sweep streets as a documented PM10 control strategy. The Program Announcement includes an open application period commencing March 13, 2007 and closing June 29, 2007. Subsequent to the release of the Program Announcement, it was discovered that the specific language relative to heavy-duty vehicle minimum qualifications is incomplete. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved an addendum to the Program Announcemen to adjust this oversight. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

Option Exercised to Continue Technical Advisor Services for FYs 2007-09

The MSRC retains an independent contractor to provide technical assistance in support of the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Program. Through an RFP process the MSRC previously awarded a contract for these to Raymond Gorski. The contract included an option for another two-year term to be executed at the MSRC’s discretion, subject to funding approval by the AQMD Board. The current contract with Mr. Gorski will expire on June 30, 2007. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved exercising the one-time, two-year option as part of its FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09 Work Programs. The option will extend the term through June 30, 2009, and augment the contract with an additional $316,646.40 to perform these services for a two-year term. For the first year of the extended contract term, 75 percent (or $118,742.40) will be covered in the FY 2007-08 AB2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program and the balance (25 percent or $39,580.80) will be covered by the MSRC’s Administrative Budget for FY2007-08; and for the second year of the extended contract term, 75 percent (or $118,742.40) will be covered in the FY 2008-09 AB 2766 Work Program and the balance (25 percent or $39,580.80) will be covered by the MSRC’s Administrative Budget for FY 2008-09. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

Option Exercised to Continue Website Hosting & Maintenance for FYs 2007-09

Haaland Internet Productions (HIP Design) currently hosts and maintains the MSRC’s website at http://www.cleantransportationfunding.org. Their current contract includes an option for up to two 2-year contract term extensions. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved exercising the first option to extend the contract for another two years through May 31, 2009, and augment it with an additional $7,200 to support this work. When the AQMD Board initially approved this contract on April 1, 2005, it authorized the MSRC to exercise the options and approved the additional funding for the work up to $3,600 per year as part of the FY 2004-05 Work Program.

Correction of Award to County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works

On December 1, 2006, the AQMD Board approved multiple awards as part of the MSRC’s FY 2005-06 Work Program. Among these, the County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, was awarded $175,000 for the purchase of up to seven heavy-duty natural gas trucks. Subsequent to the approval, staff discovered that this project had been inaccurately described to both the MSRC and AQMD. The recipient and award amount were correct, but the project should have been described as the purchase of LPG trucks. The MSRC unanimously approved the correct award at its April 19, 2007 meeting. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

New/Replacement Contract for Desert Hot Springs

The MSRC previously awarded a contract to the City of Desert Hot Springs in the amount of $40,000 for purchase of two medium-duty CNG vehicles and installation of a slow-fill CNG station. The City subsequently decided not to pursue the vehicle purchases. While the CNG station was installed, it was not operational prior to contract expiration. No payments had been made under the contract at the time it expired. At its April 19, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved a new/replacement contract with the City of Desert Hot Springs in an amount not to exceed $20,000 to reimburse for work initiated under Contract #ML04046. The contract term would be six months. The AQMD Board will consider this item at its May 4, 2007 meeting.

Received and Approved Final Reports

At its April 19, 2007 meeting the MSRC received and approved four final reports, as follows:

1. Camarillo Engineering Contract #MS05036, which provided $1,167,276 to re-power 12 caterpillar scrapers;
2. City of Ontario Contract #MS05031, which provided $191,268 towards the purchase of 11 natural gas refuse vehicles;
3. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Contract #MS03056, which provided $862,200 for expanded freeway service patrols; and
4. Norwalk Transit Contract #MS04005, which provided $118,052 towards the purchase of 3 hybrid electric transit buses.

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 website. It is anticipated that in the future the MSRC’s website, http://www.cleantransportationfunding.org, will include complete final reports in its electronic library.

Contracts Administrator’s Report

The MSRC's AB 2766 Contracts Administrator provides a written status report on all open contracts from FY 2000-01 through the present. The Contracts Administrator’s Report for February through March 2007 is attached for your information.

Attachment (PDF 199kb)
Contracts Administrator’s Report