For City Council Meeting [December 10, 2019]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Administrator
FROM: Sean Grayson, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to Issue a Purchase Order to 1) LN Curtis & Sons in the Amount of $131,735.75 for Truck Equipment; 2) Fire Apparatus Solutions in the Amount of $75,385.02 for Auto Extrication Equipment; 3) Bauer Compressors in the Amount of $498,266.17 for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA); and 4) Zoll Medical Corporation in the Amount of $51,450.84 for Medical Equipment.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
On September 25, 2018 the City Council awarded a purchase order to South Coast Fire Equipment for a new Aerial Fire Truck for the City of Rialto Fire Department. In the fiscal year 2019/2020 budget the City Council approved funding for the outfitting of equipment for the new Aerial Fire Truck, new auto extrication equipment for the new Aerial Fire Truck, and replacement of all fire department Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Fire Department anticipated delivery of the new Aerial Fire Truck early in 2020. The items are requested now to allow for them to be received so that the new Aerial Fire Truck can be placed in-service in a timely fashion.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 1081 - Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, has established the acceptable complement of equipment to be carried on emergency vehicles used in the fire service. The items include: hoses, appliances, saws, rescue equipment and various other tools utilized for fire, rescue and emergency response. The requested equipment, in addition to already acquired items, will fully outfit the new Aerial Truck to meet the equipment needs of the fire department.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 1981 - Standard on Powered Rescue Tools, has established the acceptable parameters for hydraulic rescue tools used in the fire service. The items, commonly referred to as the “Jaws of Life” allow for the pulling, pinching, cutting and spreading of high strength materials to move vehicles and other items away from entrapped persons. Modern automotive construction techniques and metals require stronger cutting and spreading forces to accomplish the extrication of patients from vehicle entrapment. The requested items meet this new challenge. The requested auto extrication equipment will fully outfit the new Aerial Truck to meet the current and future auto extrication needs of the fire department and are compatible with existing auto extrication equipment in the City. The requested auto extrication equipment uses rechargeable lithium ion batteries instead of a combustion engine power plant. This allows for greater strength of cutting and spreading while reducing emissions and making for a cleaner and safer storage and use environment for fire personnel.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 1981 - Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, has established levels of respiratory protection and functional requirements for SCBA used by emergency services personnel. SCBAs are the “backpacks” worn by firefighters that contain compressed air that allow firefighters entry into high heat, fire, and toxic environments. SCBAs are the primary method used by fire personnel to protect from the hazardous/carcinogenic byproducts of fire. The Fire Department’s current SCBAs are at end-of-life and are were certified under the 2002 version of the standard, no three revisions and 18 years old. Significant changes in employee protection, safety and ease of repair have occurred since the purchase of the current SCBAs. The requested SCBAs are compatible with surrounding fire agencies and allow for interoperability for mutual and automatic aid units responding into or out of the City.
The United States Food and Drug Administration regulates medical equipment used in the provision of healthcare. California Health and Safety Code, Division 25, Chapter 2, Section 1797.52 identifies the medical equipment required for provisions of emergency medical care. The Fire Department has standardized its durable medical equipment consistent with its award winning cardiac arrest survival program. The requested medical equipment includes a 12-lead ECG cardiac monitor and an AutoPulse mechanical CPR device. The requested medical equipment meets the identified requirements and are fully compatible with the medical equipment used on all other fire department apparatus as wells that the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) assigned to each City facility.
On October 16, 2019 the City opened bids for RFB 20-023 Tiller Truck Equipment. Three-hundred fifty-five vendors were solicited. Three vendors submitted bids with LN Curtis & Sons being the lowest responsive bidder at $131,735.75 including tax and freight delivery (bid abstract attached).
On October 15, 2019 the City opened bids for RFB 20-022 Fire Rescue Equipment covering the identified auto extrication equipment. Three-hundred fifty-four (354) vendors were solicited. Three vendors submitted bids with Fire Apparatus Solutions being the lowest responsive bidder at $75,385.02 including tax and freight delivery (bid abstract attached). Fire Apparatus Solutions is a Rialto based business that currently provides fire apparatus maintenance services to the City.
On October 21, 2019 the City opened bids for RFB 20-038 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Three-hundred fifty-five vendors were solicited. Two vendors submitted bids with Bauer Compressors being the lowest responsive bidder at $498,266.17 including tax and freight delivery (bid abstract attached).
The City has previously awarded the purchase of medical equipment to Zoll Medical Corporation under an Intergovernmental agreement with National Purchasing Partners (NPP) under the FireRescueGPO program to participate in their cooperative purchasing program. NPP is a cooperative purchasing organization providing access to contracts created through an RFP process conducted by a lead public agency. The FireRescueGPO program provides fire department specific items to the cooperative purchasing process. The benefits of utilizing this cooperative purchasing program is that it assists local governments in reducing costs by capitalizing on bulk purchasing power and pre-established competitive bids. The NPP meets all of the parameters for purchasing outlined in the Rialto Municipal Code Sec. 2.48.201 as confirmed by the City Purchasing Manager and City Attorney. Zoll Medical Corporation provide a quote (attached) for $51,450.84 including tax and freight shipping under the NPP. This quote represents an 18% savings over non-competitively bid pricing for the same items.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1. Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, general policy and procedure making
2. Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business. This action is also consistent with the following policy:
5-3.1: Provide for fire personnel, equipment and fire stations to have adequate and appropriate resources to meet the needs and serve all areas of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The requested equipment, auto extrication equipment and SCBAs will be maintained under existing processes and funds. There is no anticipated operating budget impact associated with the request.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The Tiller Truck equipment, auto extrication equipment and replacement SCBA was planned in the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Capital Improvement Budget. Funds are available in Capital Outlay Account No. 300-500-5174-3050 for the truck equipment and 300-500-5174-3030 for the auto extrication equipment, SCBAs and medical equipment. The SCBA replacement was contemplated in the to-be-adopted City Capital Improvement Budget. This purchase will remove the SCBAs from the fire department and City capital planning process.
Licensing
Prior to the execution of the purchase order Fire Apparatus Solutions shall submit a business license application and pay a Business License Tax, as well as Administration and State Fees. LN Curtis & Sons, Bauer Compressors, and Zoll Medical Corporation are not located in the City of Rialto, therefore a Rialto Business License is not required.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the following purchase orders:
1. LN Curtis & Sons in the amount of $131,735.75 for truck equipment
2. Fire Apparatus Solutions in the amount of $75,385.02 for auto extrication equipment
3. Bauer Compressors in the amount of $498,266.17 for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
4. Zoll Medical Corporation in the amount of $51,450.84 for medical equipment.