SR 02-13-2024 5B
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anuj Gupta, Director of Transportation, Department of Transportation, Transit
Maintenance
Subject: Authorization of Purchase Order with National Auto Fleet Group for
Replacement of Transit Maintenance Shop Trucks
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15302
(Replacement or Reconstruction) of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) guidelines.
2. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with National
Auto Fleet Group for the purchase of two Ford F-350 trucks for the Department of
Transportation. This recommended award is made as an exception to the
competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250 (c), and is for a total
amount not to exceed $297,613 with future year funding contingent on Council
budget approval.
Summary
The Big Blue Bus (BBB), a division of the Santa Monica Department of Transportation
(DOT), operates 194 transit buses across 69 square miles of greater Los Angeles
providing over 800,000 rides to passengers each month. The Transit Maintenance
division maintains a fleet of two shop trucks to respond to equipment failures and
breakdowns that occur on buses in operation to minimize passenger disruptions. These
vehicles have aged past their cost-effective useful lives, resulting in increased shop
truck breakdowns and increasing the need for DOT to tow buses back to the bus
maintenance facility, which results in service disruptions. Staff recommends purchasing
two replacement shop trucks from the nationwide Sourcewell contract based on the
pricing available to government agencies.
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Discussion
The Transit Maintenance division is responsible for responding to transit bus equipment
failures and breakdowns that occur while buses are in service. Many common issues
can be repaired on the road allowing the bus to continue in service and minimizing
service disruptions. In performing this task, BBB uses two shop trucks with specialized
tools and equipment including air compressors, fluid pumps, battery charging and jump
starting kits, and hand tools. Additionally, these vehicles’ bodies are modified to include
additional storage cabinets to store bus maintenance tools. These vehicles allow Transit
Maintenance staff to repair common issues such as fluid and air leaks, farebox issues,
and wheelchair ramp issues on the road. Without these vehicles , buses would need to
be towed back to the BBB maintenance facility, increasing towing costs and service
disruption.
The Transit Maintenance division’s policy is to replace vehicles as they reach the end of
their useful life. DOT currently uses a 2012 GMC Sierra 2500 and a 2013 Ford F-550 to
provide road repair services, and both vehicles have exceeded their useful life. Due to
their age, these vehicles have experienced increased failures and are increasingly
difficult to maintain in a safe operating condition. Staff recommends executing a
purchase order with National Auto Fleet Group for the purchase of two vehicles for a
total of $297,613 including a 15% contingency as specified in Table 1. Upon receipt,
these vehicles will be converted to a compressed natural gas (CNG) propulsion system
from their original unleaded gasoline configuration. DOT uses renewable natural gas,
reducing the carbon intensity of its CNG vehicles to minimize greenhouse gas
emissions.
Table 1. Ford F-350 Price Detail
Description Amount
Sourcewell Contract Price (1) Ford F-350 50,371
Upfitting with specialized tooling 59,362
Delivery and handling fees 7,626
Taxable Sub-total 117,359
Taxes 12,038
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Unit Total 129,397
(2) Units 258,794
15% contingency 38,819
Total SR amount 297,613
Vendor/Consultant Selection
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends National Auto Fleet Group, a distributor of Ford trucks and vehicle
upfitting, to furnish delivery of two Ford F-350 vehicles for use as shop trucks by the
Transit Maintenance division as an exception to competitive bidding per Muni Code
2.24.250 (c).
Sourcewell is a cooperative purchasing agency that services government, education,
and nonprofit organizations. As a cooperative purchasing agency, they acquire goods or
services by aggregating the demand of two or more entities in an effort to obtain more
economical pricing. On September 15, 2021, Sourcewell issued an RFP for Cars,
Trucks, Vans, SUVs, Cab Chassis, & Other Vehicles. Under the terms of the RFP, and
the resulting Sourcewell Agreement with National Auto Fleet Group, similar nationally
leveraged purchasing discounts are also available to other government agencies.
Sourcewell Agreement #091521-NAF was established on November 4, 2021, expires
November 8, 2025, and has one one-year renewal option.
c. competitive procedures were followed by a governmental agency, federal, state, county,
city, joint powers agency, special district, or cooperative purchasing agency and the goods
or services are supplied to the City at the same or better price.
Environmental Review
The purchase order for replacement of DOT shop trucks is categorically exempt from
CEQA pursuant to Section 15302 (Replacement and Reconstruction) of the CEQA
Guidelines. Section 15302 exempts Class 2 projects which “consists of replacement or
reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be
located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same
purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.” The replacement vehicles would
replace existing City fleet vehicles with the same purpose and capacity. Therefore, the
purchase order qualifies for a Class 2 exemption.
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Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Big Blue Bus Fund to award
a purchase order with National Auto Fleet Group for the purchase and delivery of two
Ford vehicles.
Purchase Order Request
FY 2023-24 Budget
Amount CIP Account # Total Purchase Order Amount
$297,613 C6004790.689000 $297,613
Prepared By: David Nanjo, Administrative Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. National Auto Fleet Group - Oaks
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5.B.a
Packet Pg. 87 Attachment: National Auto Fleet Group - Oaks (6170 : Purchase of Maintenance Trucks for SMDOT)
5.B.a
Packet Pg. 88 Attachment: National Auto Fleet Group - Oaks (6170 : Purchase of Maintenance Trucks for SMDOT)