Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pw
Item # 11
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
March 17, 2026
TOPIC: Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles
AGENDA TITLE
Pre-Authorization of Purchase Order Contracts for Various City Vehicles (Spec No. 25- 133) (General & Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Approve an appropriation adjustment to recognize $574,594 of prior-year fund balance in the Refuse Collection Revenue, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account and appropriate the same amount to the Refuse Collection Service, Machinery & Equipment expenditure account (Requires five affirmative votes).
2. Approve an appropriation adjustment to recognize $574,594 of prior-year fund balance in the Federal Clean Water Protection Enterprise, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate to the Federal Clean Water Protection Enterprise, Machinery & Equipment expenditure account (Requires five affirmative votes).
3. Approve an appropriation adjustment to recognize $684,952 of prior-year fund balance in the Special Gas Tax Fund, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate to the Roadway Maintenance, Machinery & Equipment expenditure account (Requires five affirmative votes).
4.Approve an appropriation adjustment to recognize $68,250 of prior-year fund balance in the Equipment Maintenance-Garage Operation, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate to the Equipment Maintenance- Garage Operation, Machinery & Equipment expenditure account (Requires five affirmative votes).
5. Pre-authorize the City Manager to issue purchase orders for various City vehicles described herein for the Fiscal Year 2025-26, in a total amount not-to-exceed $7,305,578.
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
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GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
The Public Works Agency (PWA) routinely acquires, maintains, repairs, and replaces City vehicles and equipment. In prior years, staff presented multiple individual staff reports throughout the year with recommendations for individual vehicle purchases after the City has underwent a competitive bidding process. This process requires a longer lead time and has consistently fragmented the City’s purchasing power. It has also hampered the City’s ability to act in a timely manner and take advantage of market conditions, immediate inventory availability, and lower pricing opportunities when offered by manufacturers and dealerships, as these private entities are less likely to hold inventory or commit to lower price for extended periods.
On January 20, 2026, City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article II of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) to specify the procurement and contracting procedure for vehicle and vehicle related equipment purchases. The new process allows City Council to pre-authorize the City Manager to procure and execute contracts and purchases for vehicles and vehicle-related equipment immediately following completion of competitive bidding or through justified non-bid purchases within City Council-approved not-to-exceed amounts. This procurement model accelerates contracting and delivery, improves efficiency, and positions the City to secure competitively-priced vehicles and equipment in a timely manner, and with appropriate control measures in place ensuring the integrity and transparency of the purchasing approval and budget allocation process. On February 3, 2026, City Council conducted the second reading and adopted the ordinance.
The City’s Equipment Replacement Policy (Exhibit 1) establishes the guidelines and criteria for the replacement of City vehicles to ensure a strategic approach to fleet management. This policy prioritizes safety, cost effectiveness, fuel efficiency, and compliance with State and Federal public fleet regulations. These guidelines are established by the American Public Works Association (APWA), National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA), and Municipal Equipment Maintenance Association (MEMA). Replacement determinations are based on industry-standard criteria, including excessive mileage, vehicle age, maintenance costs, unit hours, maintenance history, safety, and overall life expectancy.
For Fiscal Year 2025-2026, a total of 87 vehicles are included in the purchase plan to replace units that have reached the end of their useful life, replace leased vehicles, and to meet additional operational needs (Exhibit 2). Of these, staff identified 62 vehicles that meet established replacement guidelines, totaling $3,326,804, serving the Planning and Building Agency, Police Department, and Public Works Agency (Exhibit 3).
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
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DEPARTMENT QTY
(REPLACEMENT)
Planning and Building Agency 4
Police Department 50
Public Works Agency 8
In addition to the replacements, departments reviewed their operational needs and identified requests for new vehicles and equipment. The Police Department is requesting five vehicles to support their Traffic Division. The Planning and Building Agency requires one new vehicle to accommodate new staff. The Public Works Agency is requesting 11 vehicles for the new Construction Services team, two vehicles for the Construction Inspection and Administration team, one travel trailer for Parks Services, one Silverado EV for Fleet Services, and two pot-hole patch trucks to support Maintenance Services. Additionally, two new street sweepers are recommended to be procured to allow for certain street sweeping needs to be performed efficiently by City staff. Most recommended purchases are budgeted in the current fiscal year, with the exception of the two proposed street sweepers, two pot-hole patch trucks, and a Silverado EV which require City Council approval of the recommended appropriation adjustments. Altogether, staff recommends purchasing 25 new vehicles at a cost not to exceed $3,978,774.
DEPARTMENT QTY
(ADDITIONS)
Planning and Building Agency 1
Police Department 5
Public Works Agency 19
The Finance and Management Services Agency, Purchasing Division, will solicit bids and evaluate available cooperative agreements and determine the best method to acquire the vehicles identified in accordance with City policies and procedures. To complete the purchases, staff recommends City Council pre-authorize the City Manager to execute contracts and purchases to the successful vendor(s) immediately after evaluation of individual awards. In the unlikely event that any of the vehicles or equipment listed is found to be limited to a sole source, the Purchasing Division will verify and document the reasons for the sole source prior to the purchase. Pre- authorization will also allow the City Manager to make substitutions in the type and/or quantity of these vehicles to address changing business needs or subsequent budget adjustments. Any changes will remain within the not-to-exceed amount totaling $7,305,578. Should actual requirements exceed this specified amount, staff will bring a separate request for additional appropriations to the City Council prior to any further purchases.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
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FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the appropriation adjustments will recognize $574,594 of prior-year fund balance in the Refuse Collection Revenue, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account and appropriate the same amount to the Refuse Collection Service, Machinery and Equipment expenditure account, $574,594 of prior-year fund balance in the Federal Clean Water Protection Enterprise, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate the same amount to the Federal Clean Water Protection Enterprise, Machinery & Equipment expenditure account, $684,952 of prior-year fund balance in the Special Gas Tax Fund, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate to the Roadway Maintenance, Machinery and Equipment expenditure account, and $68,250 of prior-year fund balance in the Equipment Maintenance-Garage Operation, Prior Year Carryforward revenue account, and appropriate to the Equipment Maintenance-Garage Operation, Machinery and Equipment expenditure account.
Funds are budgeted and available for expenditure in the following accounts for Fiscal Year 2025-26. Any remaining balances not expended by the end of the fiscal year will be presented to City Council for approval of carryforwards into Fiscal Year 2026-27.
Fiscal
Year
Accounting
Unit-Account
No.
(Project No.)
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account Description Amount
APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENT
2025-26 06917640-
66400
Refuse
Collection
Service
Refuse Collection
Service, Machinery &
Equipment
$574,594
2025-26 05717640-
66400
Federal Clean
Water
Protection
Enterprise
Federal Clean Water
Protection Enterprise,
Machinery &
Equipment
$574,594
2025-26 02917660-
66400
Special Gas
Tax
Roadway
Maintenance,
Machinery &
Equipment
$684,952
2025-26 07517100-
66400
Fleet
Maintenance
Equipment
Maintenance-Garage
Operation, Machinery
& Equipment
$68,250
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
5 6
2 7
CURRENT BUDGET
2025-26 07017100-
66400
Equipment
Replacement
Equipment
Replacement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$1,787,355
2025-26 01114405-
66400 General Fund Traffic, Machinery &
Equipment $183,075
2025-26 01114404-
66400 General Fund
Recruitment &
Backgrounds,
Machinery and
Equipment
$107,625
2025-26 01114410-
66400 General Fund
Training Services,
Machinery and
Equipment
$50,400
2025-26
01114420-
66400 (22-
4502)
General Fund
Field Operations,
Machinery &
Equipment
$136,500
2025-26 01114421-
66400 General Fund
PD Athletic & Activity
League, Machinery &
Equipment
$107,100
2025-26 01114425-
66400 General Fund
Information Services,
Machinery &
Equipment
$54,075
2025-26 01114435-
66400 General Fund
Criminal Investigation
Service Enhancement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$250,950
2025-26 01114448-
66400 General Fund Evidence, Machinery &
Equipment $46,200
2025-26 01114450-
66400 General Fund
Central Distribution
CTR (CDC), Machinery
& Equipment
$126,974
2025-26 01114485-
66400 General Fund
Homeland Security &
Emergency
Management,
Machinery &
Equipment
$35,700
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
5 6
2 7
2025-26
12814407-
66400 (23-
4614)
Law
Enforcement
Grants
Superior Law
Enforcement Services,
Machinery &
Equipment
$452,025
2025-26 06017646-
66400 Water Water Meter Services,
Machinery Equipment $28,170
2025-26 06017641-
66400 Water
Water System
Maintenance,
Machinery &
Equipment
$20,850
2025-26 06017644-
66400 Water
Water Quality,
Machinery &
Equipment
$56,940
2025-26 06017648-
66400 Water
Water Resources
Construction,
Machinery &
Equipment
$1,205,383
2025-26 01117611-
66400 General Fund
Construction
Engineering,
Machinery &
Equipment
$116,471
2025-26 05617640-
66400
Sanitary
Sewer Service
Sanitary Sewer
Service, Machinery &
Equipment
$404,250
2025-26 01116520-
66400 General Fund
Planning & Building
Agency – Permit &
Insurance Services,
Machinery &
Equipment
$42,105
2025-26 01216010-
66400
Cannabis
Public Benefit
Fund
PBA Enforcement
Services, Machinery &
Equipment
$54,075
2025-26 03116510-
66400
Air Quality
Impr. (AB
2766)
Planning-Air Quality
Improvement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$42,105
2025-26 01117651-
66400 General Fund
Park Maintenance
Service Enhancement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$18,900
Annual Purchase and Replacement of Various City Vehicles March 17, 2026
5 6
2 7
2025-26
01113017-
66400 (22-
2300)
General Fund
PRCSA – Service
Enhancement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$18,900
2025-26 01117620-
66400 General Fund
PW
Traffic/Transportation –
Service Enhancement,
Machinery &
Equipment
$57,060
TOTAL: $7,305,578
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Equipment Replacement Policy
2. Vehicle Purchase List FY 2025-26
3. Vehicle Replacement Inventory List
Submitted by: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director, Public Works Agency Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager