TO:
Honorable Mayor Powell and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM:
Richard Gill, Parks & Recreation Director
Bruce Moe, Finance Director
Eve Kelso, Recreation Services Manager
Gwen Eng, Purchasing Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Purchase of Two Replacement Dial-A-Ride Buses from A-Z Bus Sales in the Amount of $253,169.31; Appropriation of $23,169.31 from Unreserved Measure R Fund Balance.
APPROVE
Body
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council:
a) Waive formal bidding per Municipal Code Section 2.36.150 (cooperative purchasing);
b) Authorize the City Manager to purchase two replacement Dial-A-Ride buses in the amount of $253,169.31 from A-Z Bus Sales for; and
c) Appropriate $23,169.31 from the Unreserved Measure R Fund balance in order to finance the budget shortfall.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Funds totaling $230,000 are budgeted in the fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013 Fleet Management Fund to purchase and equip these vehicles. The Fleet Fund will be reimbursed by the Measure R Transportation Fund, which is authorized to purchase these two vehicles. The total cost to purchase and equip these two units is $253,169.31. The budget shortfall of $23,169.31 in the Fleet Management Fund will be offset by Measure R Transportation fund, which will need to be appropriated. The current balance in the Measure R fund is $797,640.
DISCUSSION:
The FY 2012-2013 budget includes the replacement of 61 vehicles in the City's fleet. The list includes a wide variety of vehicles that need to be replaced in order to maintain service levels, reduce repair costs and provide for cost-effective fleet operations. The list represents several "catch-up" years when the fleet was not actively replaced due to budget constraints. Where possible and practical, alternative fuel vehicles have been selected, with eight such vehicles on the list replacing traditional fuel vehicles.
This recommended purchase is for two replacement Dial-A-Ride buses: a 20-passenger Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus and a 23-passenger low-floor bus. The City maintains a fleet of three Dial-A-Ride buses and one van. Three units are typically in operation during peak periods. If one of the buses is in for scheduled maintenance, or for unscheduled repairs, service may be affected. Both units are replacing buses with lower seating capacities; the increased capacity is needed due to the fact that Dial-A-Ride ridership has more than doubled since 2006.
The requested buses are classified as paratransit vehicles which were selected to ensure the best solution for the City's requirements. The following selection criteria were used:
1. A tight turning radius to negotiate narrow streets
2. The angle of approach and departure to clear hilly topography without damage to the vehicle
3. An effective layout that maximizes seating access and legroom for passengers
4. Local, reliable service facilities for repairs and warranty work
Whenever practical, the City "piggybacks" onto contracts which are economically advantageous. In this case, A-Z Bus Sales has offered the City pricing from the CalACT (California Association for Coordinated Transportation) Vehicle Purchasing Cooperative. CalACT is a state transit association consisting of small, rural and specialized transportation providers statewide. The lead agency on the bid, Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA), solicited bids and made multiple awards for accessible paratransit vehicles on behalf of 300 member agencies. The awards were based on varying models and specifications, with the agreement that the vendors awarded contracts may not offer lower pricing than the stated contract amounts. A-Z Bus Sales was the lowest bidder for the models specified by the City of Manhattan Beach. Because of the pricing and structure of the competitive bid and resulting contracts, staff believes that the CalACT pricing from the Morongo Basin Transit Authority is the best attainable that meets the City's needs. As a result staff recommends purchasing the buses from A-Z Bus Sales.
One of the recommended buses runs on CNG, an alternative fuel. The recommended vehicle, Glaval, has the farthest range (220 miles) in comparison to other vehicles in the same category. This will allow for fewer fueling interruptions during the day. This will be the primary bus used for the Older Adults program trips. The City already has a CNG Glaval in the fleet and is satisfied with its performance and dependability.
The second bus is an ARBOC low-floor model, which will better serve customers with limited mobility. This bus allows a wheelchair passenger to roll onto the vehicle via a ramp. This feature reduces injury risk to both driver and passenger through elimination of steps and wheelchair lift. This low-floor model has been in production since 2008, whereas the other manufacturers have only begun producing this type of bus in the last year, therefore, it has a proven track record.
The original budgeted amount of $230,000 is not sufficient to effect the purchase. That amount was based upon replacing the existing units with the same make and model CNG-powered vehicle anticipated at $115,000 each. The cost of the CNG Glaval is within budget at $112,526.31. The ARBOC low-floor vehicle costs $140,643.00, or $25,643 over budget. The ARBOC bus specification was upgraded from the existing vehicle it replaces to accommodate increased ridership as well as the growing need for a more accessible vehicle in our fleet; the low-floor model was specifically chosen to better serve customers with mobility issues. The combination of these two vehicles results in the budget shortfall of $23,169.31. As a result, staff recommends that the City Council appropriate $23,169.31 from the Measure R Fund to complete the funding.
The requested paratransit vehicles were selected based on the best solution for the City's needs. Based on this available piggyback opportunity, staff recommends City Council authorize the City Manager to award an order to A-Z Bus Sales in the amount of $253,169.31 for the purchase of two buses. If this purchase is approved, the existing units will be retired and sent to auction. The new vehicles will arrive in approximately five months.