TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Steve S. Charelian, Finance Director
Stephanie Katsouleas, Public Works Director
Gwen Eng, Purchasing Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Purchase of One Aerial Lift Truck from M & M Lifts, Inc. for $148,472.12 for Public Works Activities(Finance Director Charelian).
a) WAIVE FORMAL BIDDING
b) APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council waive formal bidding per Manhattan Beach Municipal Code (MBMC) Section 2.36.140 (waivers) and approve the purchase of one budgeted aerial lift truck from M & M Lifts, Inc. for $148,472.12 for Public Works activities.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Funds totaling $210,143 are budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Fleet Management Fund for purchase of this vehicle. This vehicle costs $148,472.12; the remaining budgeted funds of $61,670.88 will be returned to fund balance.
BACKGROUND:
Public Works currently has two aerial lift trucks - one larger lift truck and one smaller lift truck. The larger Lift-all is used by the Public Works Utilities, Streets, and Facilities Divisions for a variety of maintenance and emergency activities, including hanging street banners, changing street lights, repairing park field lights and netting, minor tree trimming and emergency response, roof access of City facilities, and exterior building maintenance.
The 1997 Lift-all is now in need of replacement. Due to the age of the vehicle, specialty parts for the vehicle and aerial lift equipment are becoming harder to acquire. As an example, during its last service, it took six weeks to locate and acquire a replacement part; the lift was out of service for a total of eight weeks. Additionally, the 1997 lift truck does is not equipped to fully meet the needs of the Public Works Department. Its bucket only has room for one employee, when often times two employees are needed to complete a task. It does not have additional lift capabilities for equipment that may need to be hoisted onto a roof or light pole. Additionally, the truck is too large to maneuver everywhere a lift may be needed (e.g., park facilities and walk streets). Lastly, the vehicle’s engine is no longer in compliance with current Air Quality Management District (AQMD) regulations.
DISCUSSION:
A new aerial lift vehicle was approved in the current year’s budget. Staff is recommending replacing the Lift-all with a Dur-A-Lift DPM-40, which has the same reach as the larger lift truck, a much-needed double person basket, and the added feature of a 1,000 lb. lifting boom to assist with material handling at higher elevations that a forklift cannot serve. Its smaller footprint will provide additional backup to the City’s smaller lift truck because it can be used on the City’s narrow streets and the Strand. The new vehicle also meets current AQMD regulations. Lastly, because Public Works staff already has a working knowledge of operating the smaller DPM-36 lift truck, operating the DPM-40 will be seamless.
It is also worth noting that the Dur-A-Lift DPM-40 repair facility is located in Buena Park, which is reasonably close. The dealer, M & M Lifts, Inc., performs all service and carries the necessary parts in stock, thus ensuring any needed repairs are reasonably easy to obtain. Staff has been satisfied with the operation and dependability of the existing Dur-A-Lift vehicle.
Waiver of Formal Bidding
For public agencies in California, Dur-A-Lift products are only available from M & M Lifts, Inc., the only authorized dealer for the State. As a result, competitive formal bidding is not possible. Accordingly, staff recommends that the City Council waive formal bidding per MBMC Section 2.36.140 and authorize the issuance of a purchase order to M & M Lifts, Inc. in the amount of $148,472.12. Although there are other vendors that can provide similar equipment, fleet standardization is beneficial for the users and maintenance staff.
If the City was to purchase from another dealer outside of California, that dealer could lose its distribution rights with the manufacturer. In addition, the City could experience issues with equipment warranty and/or repairs/maintenance, and the vehicle may not meet California air emissions standards.
The City’s 1997 Lift-all will be sent to auction, although it is unlikely to bring a large return at sale due to its age, condition and difficulty in finding parts.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
This purchase will be effected through a standard City purchase order with the City’s customary terms and conditions applied. No further legal review is required.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Dur-A-Lift dealership letter