TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a contract with EF Recovery (of Oakland, CA, an SBE), in the amount not to exceed $35,000 annually to provide billing and collection services for the Vehicle Accident Response and Mitigation Program for a period of one year, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is being requested to authorize the City Manager to award a contract to provide billing and collection services for the City's Vehicle Accident Response and Mitigation Program. In 2006, the Long Beach Fire Department responded to 3,638 motor vehicle accidents, 42 recorded extrications, 270 car fires and 819 Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) incidents including fuel spills. In 2007, the Department responded to 3,863 motor vehicle accidents, 34 recorded extrications, 237 car fires and 746 Haz-Mat incidents including fuel spills.
Historically, the City has not separately billed for these accident response costs, but recognizes that these costs should be recovered from the responsible parties, as allowed by the law. The City solicited a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a contractor to provide effective billing and collection services following the accident or Haz-Mat incident. On October 13, 2009, the City Council approved the Vehicle Accident and Hazardous Material Release Response and Mitigation fee to charge the responsible party at a vehicle accident with cleanup activities or hazardous material release for the response of fire units and resulting mitigation and safety precaution activities related to this program.
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) allows agencies to recover reasonable costs of removal of the "contents of vehicle," which have been deposited upon a street or highway negligently or willfully. Vehicle "contents" can include fluids (oil, fuel, antifreeze, etc.) and debris caused by the impact and subsequent damage to the vehi...
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