City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council authorize staff to enter into a professional services contract
with Raymundo Engineering Company Inc., for engineering services to expand and
enhance the Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Station at the Transportation Facility.
The contract, not to exceed $120,000, includes a ten percent contingency for
unforeseen expenditures.
BACKGROUND:
Since August 1998, the City has been operating a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
refueling station located at the Transportation Facility. The original station includes
two (2), 255 cfm (cubic feet per-minute) compressors powered by two heavy-duty
electric motors. This design maximized efficiencies of electrical power and provided
enough fuel for our fleet of natural gas powered equipment.
At the time of initial operation, we had just taken delivery of twenty natural gas
powered transit buses and the system was operating efficiently, reliably and safely.
Since then, the city’s natural gas fleet has continued to grow. The original design
had a maximum fueling capacity for up to 60 transit buses with the following
restrictions:
Maintained compressor operational redundancy
Varied our fueling times throughout the day
Meeting Date: 07/25/05 Item Number: C-7
AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration for Authorization to Enter into a Professional Services Contract
with Raymundo Engineering Company Inc., for engineering services to Expand
and Enhance the Compressed Natural Fueling Station at the Transportation
Facility in an amount not to exceed $120,000.
Contact Person/Dept.: Paul Condran Phone Number: (310) 253-6520
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Public Notification: Master Notification list via email on March 14, 2005; Published in
Passenger Transport on March 21, 2005 and on the City of Culver City’s Web-Site on
March 14, 2005. Three firms submitted proposals; Raymundo Engineering Company,
Marathon Technical Services and Dahl-Taylor & Associates.
Department Approval:
Stephen C. Cunningham 7/14/05
CAO Approval:
Jerry Fulwood 7/20/05
City Controller Approval:
Marlee Chang 7/19/05City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Maximized the use of timed-filled dispensers
Used both of the systems fast-fill dispensers
Currently we have forty-six CNG powered buses, seven CNG powered sanitation
trucks and ten CNG powered civilian vehicles. In the future, we will be expanding
our fleet with additional CNG powered equipment, thereby increasing the need for a
reliable and efficient CNG fueling station.
DISCUSSION:
Expanding the station to three (3) compressors and adding a backup generator will
increase our vehicle fueling capacity, relieve operational pressure on the two (2)
compressors and provide much needed redundancy to the system. This project will
ensure that the fuel needs of the city’s expanding natural gas fleet can be
accommodated safely and reliably even if one compressor were to fail or the city
were to suffer a power outage.
Since the current CNG station allows for up to 60 vehicles to be fueled on a daily
basis, we are close to reaching our maximum capacity with the current equipment.
To fuel 60 vehicles requires careful logistics planning of both our fast fill dispensers
and our 13 “time-fill” dispensers. Shortly after full operation of our new fuel system,
it became apparent we could not use one of our two (2) fast fill dispensers due to its
physical location next to a service pit, which is in constant use. The scope of work
includes relocating this dispenser which will improve our fast fill operation.
While the CNG station has been reliable overall, both compressor engines have
been rebuilt and are forced to operate full time. Maintaining the current configuration
of two (2) compressors without a backup will continue to burden the compressors,
thereby jeopardizing the reliability of the CNG fueling system. It could create a
situation where we would not be able to meet the fuel needs of our city fleet, which
could temporarily disrupt some city services or add considerable cost if we were
forced to utilize off site fueling facilities.
During the times that the station is unavailable we can travel to a commercial CNG
station near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Traveling to and from the
transportation facility to this location adds an estimated seventy minutes of fueling
time per bus. This does not include an additional twenty minutes needed for the
servicing and cleaning of the bus, (our “normal” refueling and maintenance time is
approximately 30 minutes per bus). City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
This creates large operational inefficiencies and increases the cost of maintenance
due to the overtime necessary to ensure buses are available for operation. It also
increases the fuel cost since we pay more for the cost of fuel offsite.
We have also used the facilities at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation
Authority’s (LACMTA) Division Ten to refuel our CNG buses. This also creates
difficulties for the reasons mentioned above and because we must yield to all
LACMTA buses first. In the future, LACMTA will be building a new facility nearby
which will have CNG capabilities. However, use of this site would still create
operational difficulties.
In April 2005, the Department developed a Request for Proposal (RFP) and solicited
competitive bids for an experienced engineering consulting firm to develop
engineering specifications to expand our CNG system with a third compressor along
with the required gaseous, pneumatic and electrical control system upgrades,
relocate a fast fill dispenser and also add a new emergency generator that would
provide backup power to the fueling station.
We received three (3) responses to our RFP. All bids were analyzed for technical
thoroughness, adherence to the scope of work, project budget, project timeframe
and pricing. Two of the three bids received were either missing important
information or failed to show that they could complete the scope of work within our
budget. Raymundo Engineering provided the most responsive and the lowest bid.
The bid amounts were as follows:
1. Raymundo Engineering: $108,205
2. Dahl-Taylor & Associates, Inc.: $136,625
3. Marathon Technical Services: $156,400
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The project’s cost is estimated at $1.6 million dollars (including the engineering costs
and the eventual purchase of equipment). The Transportation Department has
budgeted federal and local monies for this project in the FY05/06 budget. The
federal money, which will pay 80 percent of the cost, is currently in an approved
federal grant and ready to be drawn down as expenses are incurred.
Further, we will receive $100,000 in Mobil Source Air Pollution Reduction Review
Committee (MSRC) funds to help defray some of the cost.
No general fund monies will be used for this project.City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Authorize staff to enter into a professional services contract with Raymundo
Engineering Company Inc., for engineering services to expand and enhance the
Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Station at the Transportation Facility in an
amount not to exceed $120,000;
2. Direct the City Attorney to draft all necessary documents between the City of
Culver City Transportation Department and Raymundo Engineering Company,
Inc., and authorize the Chief Administration Officer to sign necessary
documents regarding this project.