DATE: October 21, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Fire Department
2026-094
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 1 PIERCE FIRE ENGINE (PUMPER) FROM SOUTH
COAST FIRE EQUIPMENT VIA SOURCEWELL CO-OP
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve the purchase of one Pierce Manufacturing fire engine (pumper) from South Coast Fire Equipment in the amount of $1,461,459. This new fire engine (pumper) will replace an aging fire engine (pumper) that has reached the end of its useful life.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the purchase of one (1) new fire engine (pumper) from South Coast Fire Equipment for the Fire Department in the amount of $1,461,459. b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to South Coast Fire Equipment in the amount of $1,461,459, including any nonsubstantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to the amount authorized by Corona Municipal Code 3.08.080(J), which is equivalent to 10% or an additional $146,146.
c. Authorize an appropriation in the amount of $1,607,605 from the Fleet Replacement Fund (FD_1684) to the Vehicle Replacement - Fire, Operating and Maintenance Project No. PJ_00000492.
d. Determine that competitive bidding was satisfied pursuant to Section
3.08.125(A) of the Corona Municipal Code - Non-public projects - public agency alternative competitive bidding procedure, as outlined in the Determination for Competitive Bidding section of this staff report.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Annually, the Corona Fire Department evaluates and identifies apparatus for replacement in accordance with Administrative Policy No. 09100.508, Vehicle Equipment Replacement, as well as the American Public Works Association (APWA) vehicle assessment criteria. Unit 63001, a Type 1 2004 engine, is currently utilized as a reserve engine in the Fire Department fleet. For context, Type 1 engines are utilized for standard fire suppression actions, while Type 3 and Type 6 engines are most commonly employed for wildland fire suppression.
At 22 years old, Unit 63001 exceeds the City’s established 18-year replacement threshold, as outlined in Administrative Policy No. 09100.508. The unit also scores 57 points on the APWA assessment, qualifying it for immediate replacement, as any score above 28 points warrants action. The APWA scoring methodology evaluates six factors:
age, mileage/hours, reliability, maintenance and repair costs, overall condition, and service type. Unit 63001 is classified under “severe duty,” a designation for equipment that operates in harsh, high-demand environments such as emergency response. These conditions involve extended operational periods, exposure to extreme environments, and significant mechanical stress, all of which require a high degree of vehicle operation and reliability.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed Pierce fire engine (pumper) closely aligns with the Fire Department’s existing apparatus specifications, utilizing the same major components, including the engine, transmission, suspension, and pump. This standardization supports operational familiarity, ensures compatibility across the fleet, and supports long-term efficiency in training and maintenance.
Additionally, fire apparatus manufacturers are currently quoting industry-standard production times of 36 to 48 months until delivery. Staff anticipates the new Pierce fire engine (pumper) will be delivered in approximately 36 months, a full year shorter than the upper end of the industry range. However, the build-in timeline may extend up to 48 months depending on manufacturing and supply chain conditions. Authorizing the purchase at this time secures the Department’s position in the production schedule and supports the timely replacement of the existing pumper, ensuring continued operational readiness.
DETERMINATION FOR COMPETITIVE BIDDING:
City staff recommends that the City Council find that competitive bidding was satisfied for this purchase pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.125(A) - Nonpublic projects - public agency alternative competitive bidding procedure, which states "Competitive bidding already completed. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determines that:
1. A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by another public agency, including, but not limited to, another local agency, the state through the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), the federal government through the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, or the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA); and
2. The price to the City is equal to or better than the price to that public agency." On July 2, 2025, a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) #082025, was published on the cooperative purchasing program, Sourcewell, website, inviting interested parties to submit proposals for Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles. Sourcewell received and opened 52 proposals by the due date of August 20, 2025.
All responses were evaluated by Sourcewell staff, whom on December 16, 2025 determined that under Category 1: Structural Apparatus and Comprehensive Solutions, fourteen of the received proposals were to recommended and approved for award.
The City pursues cooperative purchasing agreements to save time, reduce administrative costs, enhance operational efficiency, and stretch budget resources through competitively negotiated pricing. By using cooperative purchasing, the City leverages a solicitation previously conducted by another government agency, enabling the City to take advantage of a vetted and competitively awarded contract.
Based on this previously conducted bid process by Sourcewell, the Corona Fire Department requests approval to purchase the Pierce Manufacturing fire engine (pumper) in the amount of $1,461,459.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount of $1,607,605, which includes the quote of $1,461,459 and a 10% contingency of $146,146. from the Fleet Replacement Fund (FD_1684) to the Vehicle Replacement - Fire, Operating and Maintenance Project No. PJ_00000492. Although the Fleet Replacement Fund for the Fire Department does not currently have sufficient resources to cover the full cost of the fire engine pumper replacement, continued contributions to the fund are expected to provide sufficient resources to cover the remaining cost when final payment is due upon delivery in the estimated 36 to 48 months.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action involves the purchase of a vehicle that meets California and federal emissions standards and there is no possibility that approving this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JUSTIN DETMER, FIRE CAPTAIN
REVIEWED BY: BRIAN YOUNG, FIRE CHIEF
REVIEWED BY: JACOB ELLIS, CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Pierce Manufacturing Master Agreement
2. Exhibit 2 – Pierce Manufacturing Awarded
3. Exhibit 3 – Sourcewell Request for Proposal
4. Exhibit 4 – Sourcewell Proposal Opening Record
5. Exhibit 5 – Sourcewell Proof of Publication
6. Exhibit 6 – Sourcewell Comment and Review
7. Exhibit 7 – South Coast Fire Equipment Price Letter
8. Exhibit 8 – Pierce Manufacturing Proposal and Specification
9. Exhibit 9 – Pierce Manufacturing CAD Drawing
10.Exhibit 10 – Apparatus Assessment of Unit 63001