BOARD MEETING DATE: February 1, 2008
AGENDA NO. 6
PROPOSAL:
Issue RFP for Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Program and Issue Program Announcements for Low-Emission Leaf Blower Vendors
SYNOPSIS:
One of the compliance strategies under Rule 2202 allows employers to invest in the AQIP. Monies received are placed in a restricted account to fund programs that result in equivalent emission reductions that would otherwise have been achieved by the participating employers. This action is to release a new RFP to solicit proposals to achieve emission reduction targets. To follow up on the successful Leaf Blower Exchange Programs, staff proposes to offer similar incentive in the summer of 2008 to generate cost-effective emission reductions. This action is to issue a program announcement to solicit competitive bids from manufacturers of low-emission leaf blowers in sufficient quantities and at the lowest possible price.
COMMITTEE:
Mobile Source, January 18, 2008
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
- Approve issuance of RFP# P 2008-13 to solicit proposals to achieve emission reduction targets set by Rule 2202 AQIP.
- Approve issuance of Program Announcement and Application PA # 2008-03 to identify potential manufacturers/suppliers of low-emission/low-noise backpack leaf blowers capable of providing up to 1,500 units.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Program (AQIP) allows affected employers to participate by electing to invest in an AQMD-administered restricted fund. Investment can be either $60 annually per employee reporting to the worksite during the 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. peak window, or $125 triennially per employee. The restricted monies are to be used by the AQMD to fund proposals that achieve mobile source emission reductions that would otherwise have been achieved by implementing a rideshare program.
Upon registering under this option and submitting the designated investment amount, an employer is considered to be in compliance with the Rule and there is no need for the employer to take further action to reduce mobile source emissions. The collected monies are used to fund alternative mobile source emission reduction strategies that reduce mobile source emissions at a more cost-effective rate which could potentially result in greater overall emission reductions.
Proposal
Rule 2202 AQIP
Staff recommends that the Board approve an RFP to rank project proposals submitted under Rule 2202 AQIP which places emphasis on the combination of projects’ cost-effectiveness and the targeted reductions of VOC, NOx, and CO emissions.
All the proposals will be scored collectively based on overall cost effectiveness for a combination of VOC, NOx and CO and the “additional points” criteria as defined in the RFP. The proposals will then be divided into the following categories and ranked by overall score within each category.
- Marine vessel repowering
- On-road alternative fuel projects
- Off-road diesel repowering
- Old-vehicle scrapping
- Mobility enhancing services
- Miscellaneous
Staff believes that a significant portion of the available funds should be allocated to on-road mobile source related projects since one of the primary objectives of Rule 2202 AQIP is to achieve equivalent emissions reductions in those areas where rideshare programs would have otherwise been implemented. As such, at least 60 percent of the total available AQIP funds is proposed to be allocated to on-road mobile source projects including old-vehicle scrapping. The remaining 40 percent will be disbursed among the four remaining categories with no minimum for any one category. If there are insufficient on-road mobile source proposals or old-vehicle scrapping proposals that would satisfactorily achieve the total emission reduction target at the 60 percent funding minimum, staff proposes that a greater number of projects from other categories be selected (beyond the 40 percent funding level) in order to achieve the overall emission targets.
In order to meet the emission reduction targets for the three individual pollutants, proposals generating required emission reductions may be selected irrespective of their overall ranking. The highest ranking proposals in each category may not necessarily be recommended for award. For example, the highest-ranked project in a category may not be selected if the next highest ranking project provides greater emission reductions to meet the needed targeted reductions for an individual pollutant, but may be less cost-effective. As such, proposals from all categories may not be selected, whereas more than one proposal may be chosen from a particular category. This is because the overall cost-effectiveness is calculated based on a combination of three pollutants, whereas projects may be chosen to meet the emission reduction target for an individual pollutant. The project selection will be based first on a combination of highest ranking proposals to meet the required VOC target. The remaining project proposals that can provide the needed NOx emissions reductions will be selected next, followed by the selection of project proposals that generate the needed CO emission reductions.
Leaf Blower Exchange Program
In the Spring of 2006 and 2007, the AQMD conducted leaf blower exchange programs to encourage professional gardeners and landscapers operating within the AQMD’s 4-county jurisdiction to turn in their old, polluting backpack leaf blowers and purchase new, low-emission/low-noise leaf blowers at a reduced price. The program was very successful, resulting in the exchange of 3,000 leaf blowers. At that time, the make and model of the new leaf blower was the only one certified by CARB to have emission levels below the “Blue Sky Series” voluntary standards. The Blue Sky Series voluntary standards for hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are set at a level that is 50% lower than the current emission standards for leaf blowers that qualify for sale in California.
The purpose of Program Announcement #2008-03 is to solicit competitive proposals from qualified contractors for the production and supply of between 1,000 and 1,500 low-emission/low-noise backpack leaf blowers for the AQMD’s 2008 Leaf Blower Exchange Program. In addition to other criteria, to qualify for consideration, the proposed leaf blower must meet the CARB Blue Sky Series emission standards.
AQMD staff will evaluate the proposals based on, but not limited to, criteria including the CARB-certified emission levels of the engine, leaf blower noise levels, product specifications, availability, production capacity, lead time, price of the product, and the degree to which the contractor will provide additional services for advertising, organizing and conducting the exchange events.
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 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 is also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.
Resource Impact
Amount of funding will be determined after the selection of a contractor from the submitted proposals. Funding will be provided from the Rule 2202 AQIP.
Attachment (EXE 1021 KB)
- RFP# P 2008-13 – Rule 2202-On Road Motor Vehicle Mitigation Options
- Program Announcement and Application #PA 2008-03