TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. ITB FS-14-017 and award a contract to United Rotary Brush Corporation, of Chicago, Illinois (not an MBE, WBE, SBE or Local), to furnish and deliver street sweeper brooms on an as-needed basis in an annual amount not to exceed $200,000 for a one-year period, with the option to renew for one additional one-year period. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract for the as-needed purchase of street sweeper brooms necessary to support the Department of Public Works, Environmental Services Bureau's (ESB) street sweeper equipment.
The Department of Financial Management, Fleet Services Bureau, maintains, repairs and furnishes replacement sweeper brooms for 20 alternative-fueled Elgin street sweepers operated by ESB as part of the City's fleet maintenance program; however, the City is in the process of evaluating the type of sweeper and equipment to be used for street sweeping. One approach may be to use sweepers without brooms. Award of this contract does not commit the City to purchasing brooms. Rather, this request puts into place the authority to purchase replacement brooms in the event they are needed. Brooms will be purchased only as needed so that there is no significant inventory or cost waste if there is a decision to change to another type of sweeper.
The bid was advertised in the Press-Telegram on November 27, 2013, and 1,377 bidders specializing in street sweeper brooms were notified of the bid opportunity. Of those bidders, 20 downloaded the bid via our electronic bid system. The bid document was made available from the Purchasing Division located on the seventh floor of City Hall and the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing. A bid announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Two bids were received on December 17, 2013. Of those two bidders, none were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), none were Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), none were certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), and none were Long Beach businesses (Local). United Rotary Brush Corporation was the lowest responsible bidder.
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit bids for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the electronic bid notification system to download the bid specifications. Despite outreach efforts, no Long Beach-based businesses provide street sweeper brooms. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on February 24, 2014 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on March 12, 2014.
SUSTAINABILITY
The effective and continuous cleaning of the City's streets reduces the amount of contaminants emitted into the City's beaches and waterways. Discarded and used sweeper brooms can be reused or recycled by the vendor. Steel bristles on brooms no longer contain petroleum oils to prevent rust on the brushes that could leech onto roadways.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Specifications No. ITB FS-14-017 and approve the contract with United Rotary Brush Corporation on April 1, 2014 will ensure replacement street sweeper brooms are available when needed.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of this contract, in an amount not to exceed $200,000 for one year, is budgeted in the Fleet Services Fund (IS 386) in the Department of Financial Management (FM). Fleet Services costs will be recovered through maintenance charges to the Public Works Department (PW). There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation. If street sweeping is contracted out, the City will simply stop buying replacement brooms and may terminate the contract. This contract does not obligate the City to buy any brooms.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER