DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: CityWide
SUBJECT:
Purchase of First Responder Trucks for the Fire Department
SUMMARY:
An ordinance accepting the offer from Cowboy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to provide the San Antonio Fire Department with eight replacement first responder units for a total cost of $423,714.00. Funding is available from the Equipment Renewal and Replacement Fund (ERRF).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action is the offer submitted by Cowboy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram utilizing the BuyBoard cooperative contract number 430-13 effective December 1, 2013 through November 30, 2016, to provide the Fire Department with eight replacement Dodge Ram 3500 one-ton first responder units for a total cost of $423,714.00.
This purchase will provide eight Dodge Ram 3500 one-ton first responder units for the Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services Division. These vehicles allow SAFD Command officers to respond to and transport needed equipment to emergency scenes. The SAFD Apparatus committee, consisting of members from the SAFD and San Antonio Professional Firefighters Union Local 624, evaluated a variety of Heavy Duty trucks for use within the SAFD Fleet in 2011 and 2012. In October 2012, the Committee unanimously recommended the Dodge chassis since it best met the specific operational needs of the Fire Department.
Currently, the Fire Department utilizes eight first responder command units, which are composed of five frontline units, with three units in reserve. These first responder units will replace eight existing units which will be taken out of service and prepared for auction as the new units are placed into operation.
ISSUE:
This contract will provide the Fire Department with eight replacement Dodge Ram 3500 first responder units to support their emergency responses throughout the city and surrounding areas. The replacement of these units is consistent with the City’s ERRF.
These units will be purchased from Cowboy Dodge, Jeep, Ram utilizing the BuyBoard cooperative contract number 430-13. This purchase will be made in accordance with the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative passed on ordinance 97097, dated 1/30/2003.
The BuyBoard Program is administered by the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative. All products and services included in this cooperative were competitively bid and awarded by the Cooperative’s Board of Trustees based upon Texas statutes.
These vehicles will have a 36 month/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and 5-year/100,000 mile power train warranty. The life expectancy of these vehicles is 96 months.
Due to the lack of small, minority, and/or women businesses available to provide these goods and services, the SBEDA Program did not apply to this solicitation.
The recommended award is an exception to the Local Preference Program (LPP).
The Veteran-Owned Business Program does not apply to good/supplies contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the delay could lead to the department’s inability to provide essential services to the residents of San Antonio.
The current first responder units scheduled for replacement have met or will meet its age or mileage requirement cycles before replacement. The replacement date is considered the optimum time for replacement in that delay of the acquisition could result in the vehicles incurring higher maintenance costs as a result of age or high mileage. This could impact the City’s ability to provide essential services to the residents of San Antonio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The purchase of these first responder units is for a total cost of $423,714.00 which will be funded through the City’s Equipment Renewal and Replacement Fund (ERRF).
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval of a contract for the purchase of eight first responder units from Cowboy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for a total cost of $423,714.00.
This contract was procured on the basis of a cooperative purchasing and a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.