SR 12-13-2022 5O
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 13, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.O
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Danny Alvarez, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Approval of Fourth Modification to Agreement with Kovatch Mobile Equipment
Corporation to Purchase One Fire Engine
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a fourth modification to agreement #10409 in the amount of $405,227 with
Kovatch Mobile Equipment (KME) Corporation for the purchase of a fire engine for the
Fire Department. This will result in a seven-year amended agreement with a new total
amount not to exceed $6,771,740 with future year funding contingent on Council budget
approval.
Summary
The Santa Monica Fire Department (“SMFD”) responds to approximately 17,000
calls for service annually, including responding to fire, medical, and other
emergencies. The Department currently responds from five stations utilizing seven
front-line engines, one staffed aerial ladder truck, one Hazardous Materials Unit,
one Urban Search and Rescue Unit, two Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Units, and one
Battalion Chief Command Vehicle. This purchase would replace one Type 1 Fire
Engine for Station 7 that has reached the end of its useful life.
Staff recommends modifying a contract with KME to take advantage of previous
pricing and vehicle specifications. KME has agreed to honor the pricing and terms
and conditions of the original contract. Funding for this Type 1 Fire Engine has been
included in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Adopted Capital Improvement Budget.
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Discussion
The Santa Monica Fire Department is charged with providing fire suppression, rescue
and emergency medical services to its residents and visitors 24 hours a day / 365 days
a year. This is currently achieved from five fire stations with a daily staffing of thirty-five
first responders. The Department replaced four front-line engines in late 2019 and has
two additional engines under build with delivery expected in 2023. This engine will
complete the recent replacement of all front-line engines to ensure operational
standardization. An engine typically serves ten years in front-line status and then
moves to reserve status for another ten years. After their twenty years of service or at
the point of exceeding their useful life, the old engines are sold at auction or donated.
The front-line engine fleet of seven is supplemented with five reserve engines ranging in
age from 1994 to 2010. With the purchase of this engine, the oldest 1994 engine will be
removed from the fleet. It is imperative to have suitable front-line apparatus to perform
day-to-day response but just as important is a reserve fleet of apparatus to replace
front-line apparatus in the event of scheduled preventative maintenance, equipment
failure, or strike-team deployment. Based on the Fire Department’s apparatus
replacement analysis, experience and national standards, every effort is made to
acquire and maintain the most reliable, functional, and efficient apparatus that meets
both the current and predicted needs of the Fire Department. Reliability of the front line
and reserve fire apparatus is mission critical.
The typical build time for an engine is twelve to eighteen months, with supply chain and
labor shortages, the new engine will have an extended build time of up to twenty
months. This delay will require an extension to the total contract to seven years, with no
additional renewals or extensions.
Environmental Review
This is not a project for the purpose of the California Environmental Quality Act.
Past Council Actions and Contract Modifications
Meeting Date Description
01/10/2017
(Attachment A)
Original bid and award of agreement with KME for the
purchase of up to 2 aerial ladder trucks and five fire engines.
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Modification Date Description
Did not require Council
Action Modification
Dated 09/25/2018
(Attachment B)
First modification to agreement with KME to provide
additional manufacturing time for the delivery of four
engines and one ladder truck
Did not require Council
Action Modification
Dated 11/07/2018
(Attachment C)
Second modification to agreement with KME to increase
the per unit cost of the apparatus. The agreement was
amended due to an update in the communications
equipment technology and associated costs and to
increase the manufacturing time.
Did not require Council
Action Modification
Dated 10/29/2021
(Attachment D)
Third modification to agreement with KME to purchase
two additional engines. The agreement was also
amended due to an increase cost of materials, an update
in the communications equipment, and to add an
optional warranty.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the General Fund to increase
the amount of contract with KME for the delivery of one Type 1 fire engine.
Contract Modification Request
Agreement # Current Authorized
Amount
FY 2022-23
Increased Contract
Amount
CIP Account # Total Revised
Contract Amount
10409 $6,366,513 $405,227 C0104560.689000 $6,771,740
Prepared By: Terese Toomey, Principal Administrative Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. KME OAKS INITIATIVE FORM
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Packet Pg. 369 Attachment: KME OAKS INITIATIVE FORM (5487 : Fourth Modification with Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corporation to purchase one Fire