City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 28, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.F
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works Department Subject: Authorize a Purchase Order for the Purchase of Westward Industries Ltd.
GO-4 EV Scooters for the Police Department
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.
2. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with TurfStar Western Inc. for the purchase of twenty-seven Westward Industries Ltd. GO-4 EV scooters for the Police Department. This recommended award is made as an exception to the competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250(c) and is for a total amount not to exceed $1,306,000 with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The Santa Monica Police Department’s Traffic Services Unit utilizes Westward Industries Ltd. GO-4 EV scooters to provide intersection traffic control and parking enforcement services, and to enhance pedestrian safety throughout the City. The Department’s ability to provide these services relies on vehicles managed and maintained by the City’s Fleet Management Division. Many of these vehicles have aged past their cost-effective useful lives. To ensure uninterrupted service to the community, staff recommends authorizing a purchase order with TurfStar Western Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,306,000 for the purchase of twenty-seven Westward Industries Ltd.
GO-4 EV scooters for the Police Department based on competitive contract pricing available to government agencies. The City’s procurement of these new vehicles will 2 of 3
reduce the current downtime and maintenance costs associated with the existing fleet.
Discussion
The Fleet Management Division has worked closely with the Police department to extend the useful lives of the City’s current scooters as much as possible. Twentyseven vehicles have been identified for replacement and the average age for these vehicles is nine years. The standard useful life for the GO-4 scooters is six years. The City’s current fleet of scooters are essential to the Department’s traffic and parking enforcement operations, however due to usage and associated wear and tear, these vehicles require significant ongoing maintenance and repair costs to remain reliable, safe, and operational.
Staff is recommending the purchase of twenty-seven GO-4 EV scooters for the Police Department for a total amount not to exceed $1,306,000. The funding for the replacement of the City’s older scooters is available and was collected over each vehicle’s asset life. These vehicles are used daily for parking enforcement and intersection traffic control and serve an integral role in enforcing parking control laws throughout the City. If approved, the estimated time for delivery is four months.
Vendor Selection
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends TurfStar Western Inc., the exclusive authorized dealer in California for Westward Industries GO-4 Scooters, to furnish and deliver twenty-seven vehicles as an exception to competitive bidding per Muni Code 2.24.250 (c).
On November 3, 2020, Sourcewell, a State of Minnesota local government agency and service cooperative, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Utility, Transport, Golf, and Recreation Vehicles.
Under the terms of the RFP, and the resulting contract agreement with Westward Industries Ltd., similar nationally leveraged purchasing discounts are also available to other government agencies. Sourcewell contract #122220-WWI was established on December 22, 2020 and expires on January 29, 2025.
Sourcewell is a governmental cooperative purchasing agency that serves state and local agencies. As a cooperative purchasing agency, they acquire goods or services by aggregating the demand of two or more entities in an effort to obtain more economical pricing. c. competitive procedures were followed by a governmental agency, federal, state, county, city, joint powers agency, special district, or cooperative purchasing agency and the goods or services are supplied to the City at the same or better price.
Environmental Review
The purchase order for replacement of PD traffic scooters is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15302 (Replacement and Reconstruction) of the CEQA 3 of 3
Guidelines. Section 15302 exempts Class 2 projects which “consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.” The replacement vehicles would replace existing City fleet vehicles with the same purpose and capacity. Therefore, the purchase order qualifies for a Class 2 exemption.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Vehicle Management Fund to award a purchase order with TurfStar Western Inc. for the purchase and delivery of 27 GO-4 EV scooters for the police department.
Purchase Order Request –TurfStar Western
FY 2023-24
Request Amount CIP Account # Total Contract Amount
$1,306,000 C7000010.689000.90532 $1,306,000
Prepared By: Jose Arroyo, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Initiative - TurfStar Western
B. Levine Act - TurfStar Western