AGENDA #4c

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Award of Bid for Urban Interface Mini-Pumper (Attack 52)

 

DATE:             April 14, 2004

 

 

The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to purchase a fire truck for use by the Fire Department based on the bid of The Snuffer Corporation at a cost of $108,621.43.

 

Funding for this purchase was provided by the University of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina Hospitals.

 

DISCUSSION

 

This fire truck would be an addition to the fleet and will be used for incidents in parking decks, off alleys, in confined areas, at street fairs, and basketball celebrations.  The mini-pumper also would provide off road and brush fire fighting capability.  The unit would be assigned to Fire Station #2 at Glen Lennox.  Delivery time for this type of fire truck is 150 days from the time of order.

 

The fire truck was designed by Fire Department personnel to meet the specific fire protection challenges of restricted access areas and other locations where full-size fire trucks cannot get close enough to be effective. The fire truck is equipped to carry 200 gallons of water and 10 gallons of foam. The unit is equipped with a Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), equipment and hose needed to suppress fires and respond to other emergencies.  It will be particularly useful for vehicle fires, brush fires, trash fires and similar situations.

 

Attachment A details responsiveness of the four bids evaluated by Fire Department staff.  The Snuffer Corporation submitted the low bid of $108,621.43. The Snuffer Corporation met all but three minor requirements: no inspection trip to the factory, no drawings, and replaced 1 ½ inch hose instead of the required 1 inch hose.  The mini-pumper is a truck that has components that are simply bolted to it and, therefore, no inspection trip would be necessary.  The formal drawings would be submitted or made available upon award of bid.  The 1 ½ inch hose would be a better application to enhance the capabilities of the mini-pumper than the 1 inch hose.

 

BID PROCEDURES

 

Specifications and bid notices were distributed to nine (9) vendors in North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and Canada, and also to four (4) minority business organizations in North Carolina.

 

The Notice to Bidders was published in The Chapel Hill News on Sunday, February 29, 2004.  Four (4) bids were received and opened on March 17, 2004.  The bids received were as follows:

 

 

Vendor

Bid

 

 

Elite Power Product

PO Box 160, N6160 County Road D

Tilleda, WI 54978

$122,751.00

 

 

Emergency Vehicle, Inc.

705 13th Street

Lake Park, FL 33403-2303

$117,991.00

 

 

Jack L. Slagle Fire Equipment & Supply Co. Inc

1100 Bill Tuck Highway

South Boston, VA 24592

$108,840.00

 

 

The Snuffer Corporation

P.O. Box 248, Oak Bluff

Manitoba, Canada

$108,621.43

 

The bid by The Snuffer Corporation meets the majority of the specifications and is the lowest responsive bid.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Manager to award the bid for an Urban Interface Unit to The Snuffer Corporation for the bid price of $108,621.43.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      Urban Interface Unit Bid Specification Grading Sheet (p. 4).


 

A RESOLUTION AWARDING BIDS FOR A URBAN INTERFACE UNIT TO THE SNUFFER CORPORATION (2004-04-14/R-4)

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill solicited formal bids by legal notice in The Chapel Hill News on February 29, 2004, in accordance with G.S. 143-129 for the purchase of a Urban Interface Mini-Pumper; and

 

WHEREAS, the lowest responsive bid was submitted by The Snuffer Corporation at the bid price of $108,621.43 and met the majority of the specifications established by the Town;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council award the bid for an Urban Interface Unit to The Snuffer Corporation in the amount of $108,621.43.

 

This the 14th day of April, 2004.