AGENDA #4e

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Rejection of Bid for Mini-Attack Fire Pumper

 

DATE:             February 9, 2004

 

 

Adoption of the attached resolution would authorize the Town Manager to reject the single bid and re-bid the mini-attack fire pumper.  The bid for the mini-attack pumper being funded by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Hospitals received was over the agreed budget for the truck.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Fire Department identified the need for a special small fire truck commonly referred to as a mini-attack pumper for use in parking decks and in difficult-to-access areas for bigger fire trucks.  A grant application was submitted to the United States Fire Administration for such a truck but the grant was not approved.  Then Mayor pro tem Member Pat Evans approached the University and UNC Hospitals to request their financial support of the equipment need.  The University and the Hospital agreed to co-sponsor an expenditure of $110,000 for a mini-attack pumper.

 

Bid specifications for a mini-attack pumper were sent out to nine vendors and posted in the Chapel Hill News on December 21, 2003, as per Town purchasing policy.   Only one bid was received, that being from Elite Power Products of Tilleda, Wisconsin in the amount of $157,072.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The single bid received for the mini-attack pumper was significantly over the budget of $110,000 and there are no additional funds available for this project.  We believe the reason the bid is so high is the result of specifications that combined too many different equipment features on such a small truck.  The Fire Department staff believes the specifications can be rewritten and simplified to achieve the basic functions necessary to handle small fires in parking decks and in tight access areas without jeopardizing the necessary operational mission of the small fire truck.  A delay in the purchase of this fire truck by re-bidding will not create problems and is necessary to obtain a bid that is within the established budget.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The Manager recommends that the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Manager to reject the single bid and re-bid the mini-attack fire pumper with specifications revised by the Fire Department staff.

 

 

A RESOLUTION REJECTING ALL BIDS FOR A MINI-ATTACK PUMPER (2004-02-09/R-5)

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill has solicited formal bids by legal notice in The Chapel Hill News on December 21, 2003, in accordance with General Statute 143-129 for a mini-attack pumper; and

 

WHEREAS, the following single bid was received and opened on January 14, 2004:

 

BASE BID

 

                        Company:                                                         Total Bid:

 

            Elite Power Products                                                    $157,072.00

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill rejects all bids and directs rebid.

 

This the 9^th day of February, 2004.