REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
May 14, 2020
FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, Director
Department of Transportation
BY: BRIAN BARR, Assistant Director
Department of Transportation
DUANE MYERS, Fleet Manager
Department of Transportation, Municipal Fleet Division
CLIFF TRAUGH, Senior Management Analyst
Department of Transportation, Municipal Fleet Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the award of a purchase contract to Ditch Witch West of Fowler, California, for the purchase of one vacuum excavator truck in the amount of $309,166
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the award of a purchase contract to Ditch Witch West of Fowler, California, for the purchase of one vacuum excavator truck in the amount of $309,166.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Water Operations Division seeks to purchase one vacuum excavator truck to perform repair and maintenance to the fresh water distribution system. The new truck will be purchased as an addition through a competitively solicited cooperative procurement process administered by Source Well, formally the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA).
BACKGROUND
DPU, Water Operations Division is responsible for delivering safe drinking water to approximately 500,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers over a 114 square mile area. This mission is accomplished through continuous maintenance of the system, which requires soil excavation. Traditionally, this process was completed with mini excavators, then hand tools once utilities were exposed. Similar to vacuum trucks already in use by the Wastewater Management Division, this task can be performed with a vacuum excavation truck. This approach saves hard labor and eliminates the risk of utility damage from mechanical digging.
Currently, the Water Operations Division operates four mini excavators to perform all repair and maintenance. Once concrete has been removed, an equipment operator will dig down to an approximate depth carefully approaching the pipe. Employees finish the utility excavation with hand tools to avoid having the steal bucket of the mini excavator damage the underground pipe. The hand digging process can take several hours and can lead to back injury, as the employee many times must be in an awkward position to get around and under the object to be repaired.
The new vacuum excavation truck solves these issues by removing the soil with high pressure water or air depending on the needs of the job. The truck accomplishes soil removal by first breaking the material with high pressure water or air, then vacuuming the broken soil with a 6-inch hose producing 1,200 cfm of suction. The truck has meters and fail safes to prevent any damage to utilities, which allows for the operator to get around and under the project without ever needing to enter the hole and use hand tools. This process is safer for the operator and the aging pipes being repaired. The new vacuum excavation truck utilizes the latest emissions technology and is compliant with all clean emissions standards.
The vacuum excavation truck will be purchased through a competitively solicited cooperative procurement process administered by Source Well, formally the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA). The purchase price for this unit is $309,166. This price includes the Source Well, cooperative purchasing discount applied to City purchases as well as sales tax at 7.975 percent. The Purchasing Division has approved this contract and recommends Council to approve. The City Attorney has reviewed and approved to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, the award of this contract does not qualify as a project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable. The City is obtaining the vacuum excavation truck through a cooperative purchase agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
No general funds will be used to purchase this item. The funding to cover the purchase cost of the vacuum excavation truck has been included in the FY20 adopted budget under the operations of the DPU, Water Operations Division. The source of funding for this project is the Water Operating Fund, generated primarily by the collection of customer user fees.
Attachments:
Contract Acceptance and Award
Affidavit of Advertisement
Evaluation Committee Comment & Review
Proposal Evaluation
Contract Forms
RFP