City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 12, 2026 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARDS: ALL
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PURCHASE OF TWO MICRO BIRD G5 ELECTRIC BUSES FOR THE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION DIVISION FROM A-Z BUS SALES, INC. OF COLTON, CALIFORNIA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $753,124.43, UNDER SOURCEWELL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NO. 063020-BBB ISSUE:
Approve the purchase of two Micro Bird G5 Electric Buses for the Special Transportation Division from A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. of Colton, California, in the amount of $753,124.43, under Sourcewell Cooperative Agreement No. 063020-BBB.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the purchase of two Micro Bird G5 Electric Buses with A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. of Colton, California, in the amount of $753,124.43; With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer or designee, to record an increase in revenue in the amount of $753,124.43 and appropriate expenditures in the same amount in the Special Transit Fund, G5 Electric Buses program revenue and expenditure accounts; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to complete this purchase, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
On December 14, 2018, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) enacted the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation, setting a goal for California public transit agencies to have zero-emission bus fleets by 2040. The regulation specifies the percentage of new bus procurements that must be zero-emission buses for each year of the transition period (2023–2040). The annual percentages for Small Transit agencies are as follows:
January 1, 2026 - 25% of all new bus purchases must be zero-emission January 1, 2027 - 25% of all new bus purchases must be zero-emission January 1, 2028 - 25% of all new bus purchases must be zero-emission January 1, 2029+ - 100% of all new bus purchases must be zero-emission This purchasing schedule guides agency procurements to reach the goal of zero-emission fleets in 2040 while avoiding any early retirement of vehicles that have not reached the end of their useful life. Agencies can request waivers that allow purchase deferrals in the event of economic hardship or if zero-emission technology cannot meet the service requirements of a given route. These concessions recognize that zero-emission technologies may cost more than current internal combustion engine (ICE) technologies on a vehicle lifecycle basis and that zero-emission technology may not currently be able to meet all service requirements.
BACKGROUND:
The Special Transportation Division of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD) operates the Riverside Connect service within the city limits of Riverside. It was established in 1975, through a mutual agreement between the City of Riverside and the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) to provide complementary paratransit services to seniors over the age of 60 and individuals with disabilities.
Riverside Connect provides service seven days a week, 362 days a year, and has a fleet of 34 vehicles which includes 32 buses and two vans. Riverside Connect allows seniors and individuals living with a disability to live an independent life by providing equitable access to transportation. In FY24/25 Riverside Connect provided on average 350 rides per day and traveled over 437,000 miles transporting senior and disabled residents throughout the City of Riverside.
Riverside Connect is a cornerstone of an inclusive and compassionate community. By addressing transportation services, Riverside Connect contributes to the overall well-being, independence, and active participation of diverse community members. The continued support and enhancement of Riverside Connect aligns with the City’s commitment to creating a community that is accessible and supportive to all. Riverside Connect’s operational costs are entirely funded by federal, state, and local transportation funds and have no impact on the general fund.
In 2018, Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) opted in to CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Program, which allows the Utility to earn credits for the residential charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The proceeds from these credits must be used to benefit current and future EV users. Since 2021, RPU has implemented several rebates and programs to benefit RPU customers. On October 27, 2025, and November 18, 2025, the Board of Public Utilities and City Council, respectively, approved the creation of the Electric Public Transit Program which provides funding for rebates to assist with the purchase of City owned and operated zero-emission buses. Incentives for the purchase of electric buses is an allowable expense under the LCFS Program. The Electric Public Transit Program was funded from RPU’s “Electric Fund Low Carbon Fuel Cash Reserve” account for a total of $1,000,000 for FY2025/26.
DISCUSSION:
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will purchase two Micro Bird G5 electric buses for use by Riverside Connect. The purchase of these vehicles will allow Special Transportation to replace vehicles that have reached or exceeded 5 years or 150,000 miles, in adherence with the Federal Transit Administration’s useful life replacement schedule. Special Transportation will replace 2 out of 34 vehicles within its existing fleet, making the Micro Birds the first electric buses in Riverside Connect’s fleet.
PRCSD was able to secure vouchers through the Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), which will provide a point-of-sale discount of $15,037 per vehicle. RPU will rebate the remaining qualified purchase price of $753,124.43, consistent with the Electric Public Transit Program guidelines and requirements of the LCFS Program regulations.
Purchasing Overview
On May 12, 2020, Sourcewell posted RFP No. 063020 through their Procurement Portal for School Buses and related parts and services.
The solicitation notification is summarized in the table below:
Action
Number of Vendors
Vendors who downloaded the RFP
32 Proposals received
9 A non-mandatory pre-bid conference was held on March 3, 2020, online, and a total of 3 questions were received from prospective bidders. RFP No. 063020 closed on June 30, 2020, and 9 total bidders provided their proposals.
Four vendors were found to meet the scope and requirements with the remaining five falling outside of the requested Equipment. These four vendors received contracts through Sourcewell to include Blue Bird Buses.
Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Article Six, Section 602 states “Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances… (f) When Cooperative Purchasing is available and undertaken or when Goods can be obtained through Federal, State and/or other public entity pricing contracts or price agreements.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation is in accordance with Purchasing Resolution No. 24101.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is an increase in revenues and expenditures of $753,124.43. Upon Council approval an increase in revenue and appropriation of expenditures will be recorded in the amount of $753,124.43 in the Special Transit Fund, G5 Electric Buses Program revenue account 9934100 – 375025 and expenditure account number 9934100-462100 to cover the costs of the vehicle purchase. The expenditure has been approved for a rebate from the RPU Electric, Electric Public Transportation Program account number 6009000-456110 for the eligible vehicle amount subsequent to purchase.
Prepared by: Ron Profeta, Transit Manager
Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. Purchase Quote
Sourcewell Contract No. 063020-BBB
Sourcewell Contract No. 063020-BBB Extension
Special Transportation Micro Bird EV Purchase ● Page 2