REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 08/07/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT:
Title
AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF ONE (1) KOVATCH MOBILE EQUIPMENT REAR MOUNT AERIAL APPARATUS FROM FIRE APPARATUS SOLUTIONS UTILIZING THE SOURCEWELL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAM, CONTRACT NUMBER 113021-RVG-3
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to authorize the purchase of one (1) new rear mount aerial apparatus in the amount of $2,373,794 from Fire Apparatus Solutions for the Fire Department. This aerial apparatus will replace an aging vehicle that exceeds the criteria for replacement.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize an Exception to Competitive Bidding pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(C) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in "Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding" with Fire Apparatus Solutions for the purchase of one (1) new vehicle for the Fire Department in the amount of $2,373,794.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Fire Apparatus Solutions in the amount of $2,373,794.
c. Authorize an appropriation in the amount of $2,373,794 from the Public Safety Reserve within Measure X Fund 120 to the Vehicle Procurement Operating and Maintenance Project No. 68340.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Annually, the Fire Department selects vehicles for replacement based on Administrative Policy No. 09100.508, "Vehicle Equipment Replacement," and an American Public Works Association's (APWA) vehicle assessment. Unit 62044 is a 2004 Kovatch Mobile Equipment (KME) tractor-drawn aerial ladder truck with a 100' aerial ladder that currently serves as a reserve truck company for the fire department.
Unit 62044 is due for replacement at twenty years old, according to Administrative Policy No. 09100.508, which stipulates a 15-year replacement period. Moreover, this unit scored 46 points on the APWA assessment, qualifying it for immediate replacement, as anything above 28 points merits such action. The APWA assessment considers six factors: age, mileage/hours, reliability, maintenance/repair costs, condition, and service type. APWA classifies Unit 62044 service type as a severe duty. As defined by APWA, severe duty equipment refers to vehicles and machinery designed and built to withstand harsh and demanding operating conditions. These conditions could include heavy usage, extreme weather, rough terrain, and other challenging environments. Being an emergency response vehicle, it operates in harsh conditions for long periods of time and is required to be highly reliable. Unit 62044 has incurred $388,728 in repairs that resulted in 5,405 hours of downtime over the last twelve years and is anticipated to incur more costly repairs as the unit ages.
By original design, Unit 62044 lacks a water tank and a fire pump, unlike other aerial apparatus in the fire department. This limitation prevents it from being used to extinguish fires. Consequently, it cannot function as a reserve truck for Truck 6, which is stationed without a pumper at the south end of Corona. When Truck 6 is out of service for maintenance or repairs, the crew must switch to a pumper, leaving the fire department with only one aerial apparatus. Purchasing a rear-mount aerial with a pump will enable Truck 6 to switch to an aerial apparatus with a pump, maintaining the fire department's operational capabilities.
Due to extended build times on fire apparatus, this vehicle is expected to reach or approach twenty-three years of age with higher APWA ratings by the time the new unit is finally received and put into service. Given these circumstances, it's crucial to order the vehicles promptly to avoid them becoming unreliable and needing expensive repairs.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed unit is identical to the fire department's existing rear-mount aerial apparatus, ensuring fleet uniformity. This uniformity benefits personnel by allowing all apparatus to drive, operate, and be outfitted similarly, reducing the need for training on different apparatus and minimizing operator errors. Additionally, it simplifies fleet maintenance by standardizing repairs and parts.
Purchasing the proposed unit will allow the current rear-mount aerial apparatus to be placed on reserve status. This change will provide the fire department with a reliable reserve aerial apparatus that can serve as a reserve unit for either truck company due to its water tank and fire pump.
Staff believes that an exception to competitive bidding is warranted for this purchase according to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.140(C), which states as follows:
"Competitive bidding already completed. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determine that:
1) A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by another public agency including, but not limited to, another local agency, the state through the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), the federal government through the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, or the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA); and
2) The price to the City is equal to or better than the price to that public agency."
The City utilizes cooperative purchasing agreements to obtain competitive pricing by utilizing a purchasing solicitation that another government agency performed.
On October 12, 2021, a Request for Proposals ("RFP") #113021 was published on the Cooperative Purchasing Program Sourcewell website, inviting interested parties to submit proposals for Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles. Sourcewell received and opened 33 proposals by the proposal due date of November 30, 2021. All responses were evaluated by Sourcewell staff. Nine proposals were recommended and approved for award on February 7, 2022.
Based on this previously conducted bid process by Sourcewell, the Corona Fire Department requests approval to purchase the KME rear-mount aerial apparatus for $2,373,794.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount of $2,373,794 from the Public Safety Reserve within Measure X Fund 120 to the Vehicle Procurement Operating and Maintenance Project No. 68340.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may significantly impact the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action involves the purchase of a vehicle that meets California and federal emissions standards, and no possibility approving this project will significantly affect the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JUSTIN DETMER, FIRE CAPTAIN
REVIEWED BY: BRIAN YOUNG
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - REV Group Sourcewell Contract
2. Exhibit 2 - REV Group Contract Awarded
3. Exhibit 3 - Sourcewell Request for Proposal
4. Exhibit 4 - Sourcewell Proposal Opening Record
5. Exhibit 5 - Sourcewell Proof of Publication
6. Exhibit 6 - Sourcewell Comment and Review
7. Exhibit 7 - Fire Apparatus Solutions Price Letter
8. Exhibit 8 - Kovatch Mobile Equipment Quote Specification
9. Exhibit 9 - Kovatch Mobile Equipment CAD Drawing
10. Exhibit 10 - American Public Works Association 62044 Equipment Evaluation