DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Wheelchair Accessible Buses and Vans
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes acceptance of contracts with Creative Bus Sales, Inc. for four wheelchair accessible buses and two wheelchair accessible minivans for a total cost of $514,540.00. Of which, funding for the wheelchair accessible buses in the amount of $434,140.00 is available from the FY 2018 Senior Nutrition Program Grant and funding for the wheelchair accessible minivans in the amount of $80,400.00 is available from the FY 2019 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for City Council consideration and action is the attached tabulation of five bids to provide six additional wheelchair accessible buses and vans to the City’s fleet for a total cost of $514,540.00.
The Senior Nutrition Program, operated by the Department Human Services, is adding four 23-passenger wheelchair accessible buses to its fleet in the amount of $434,140.00. These wheelchair accessible buses will be funded from remaining FY2018 Senior Nutrition Program Grant dollars. These buses will not be placed into the Equipment Renewal and Replacement Fund.
The Willie Cortez Senior Center, West End Senior Center, Kenwood Senior Center and the Harlandale Senior Center will each receive one bus. The Department of Human Services currently has thirty-four vehicles in service: eleven 23-passenger wheelchair accessible buses, three 9-passenger wheelchair accessible shuttle vans, and twenty 15-passenger vans. This initiative shall increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles for the Senior Nutrition Program to thirty-eight.
The Parks and Recreation Department currently has thirty vans in service. Fifteen vans are dedicated maintenance crew transportation and fifteen vans are assigned to community centers throughout the City. This purchase shall add two wheelchair accessible vans in the amount of $80,400.00. This will increase the total number of vans to thirty-two.
The two additional wheelchair accessible vans will have shared use among all Parks and Recreation community centers. These vans will be added to the Equipment Renewal and Replacement Fund.
The Invitation for Bid (IFB) was evaluated based on the published bid specifications.
ISSUE:
These contracts shall provide four buses for the Senior Nutrition Program and two vans for community centers to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the City’s fleet.
The buses will be covered by a chassis warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles, a bus body warranty of 12 months or 12,000 miles, an air conditioner warranty of 2 years, and wheelchair ramp warranty of 3 years parts with 12 months of full warranty.
The vans will be covered by a chassis warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles, van body warranty of 5 years, air conditioner warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles, and wheelchair ramp warranty of 2 years.
The buses and vans have a 96 month lifecycle.
The Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Ordinance requirements were waived due to the lack of small, minority, and/or women businesses available to provide these goods and services.
There were no bids submitted from local bidders for this contract; therefore, the Local Preference Program was not applied.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to goods/supplies contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Department of Human Services may lose the opportunity to receive grant funding to cover the purchase cost of these vehicles should these contracts not be approved. Parks and Recreation would be required to borrow wheelchair accessible vehicles from the Senior Nutrition Program, and schedule transportation requests around the availability of senior services. The proposed vehicles would be able to simultaneously transport 112 passengers, who otherwise might have to find alternative transportation to City events. Interested residents may not be able to participate in City programs due to the limited number of wheelchair accessible vehicles committed to other programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes acceptance of contracts with Creative Bus Sales, Inc. for four wheelchair accessible buses and two wheelchair accessible minivans for a total cost of $514,540.00. Of which, funding for the wheelchair accessible buses in the amount of $434,140.00 is available from the FY 2018 Senior Nutrition Program Grant and funding for the wheelchair accessible minivans in the amount of $80,400.00 is available from the FY 2019 General Fund Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of contracts with Creative Bus Sales, Inc. for a total amount of $514,540.00.
This contract is procured on the basis of low bid and a Contracts Disclosure Form is not required.