Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract on behalf of the Office of Construction Management with IMW Industries, Inc. for the purchase of compressed natural gas fueling station equipment at 4211 Groves Road. The fueling station will provide rapid and reliable dispensing of compressed natural gas (CNG) to begin to grow a fleet of energy efficient CNG fueled vehicles.
The City of Columbus, Finance and Management Department, Fleet Management Division, was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) through the local Clean Cities Coalition designee, Clean Fuels Ohio. The funding opportunity is titled "Clean Cities FY09 Petroleum Reduction Technologies Projects for the Transportation Sector", Area of Interest 4, and was created through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fund cost-shared projects that expand the use of alternative fueled vehicles and advanced technology vehicles as well as the installation or acquisition of infrastructure necessary to directly support an alternative fueled vehicle or advanced technology vehicle. Ordinance No. 0540-2010, passed April 14, 2010, authorized the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract with Clean Fuels Ohio and to accept and appropriate the grant. This grant will be used to fund a portion of the CNG fueling station, including equipment purchases.
The City of Columbus will be receiving 23 CNG heavy-duty vehicles in 2011, which will rely on this fueling station for fuel. This will be the only CNG fueling station in the Columbus area with the capacity to fuel this number of CNG heavy-duty vehicles. This equipment enables the station to be "fast-fill," meaning that vehicles can be fueled in approximately the same amount of time as diesel vehicle equivalents. CNG vehicles produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and toxic and carcinogenic pollutants. Natural gas is a domestically available, inherently clean burning fuel. Using compressed natural gas as vehicle fuel increases energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and improves public health and the environment. Currently, CNG is also significantly lower in cost than either gasoline or diesel.
Formal bids were solicited and two companies submitted bids on December 28, 2010 as follows (0 MBE, 0 FBE):
IMW Industries, Inc. $978,000.00
ANGI Energy Systems $1,060,323.00
Emergency action is requested so the necessary installation of the compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling equipment can occur, thereby expanding the use of alternative fueled vehicles resulting in cost savings to the City.
IMW Industries, Inc. Contract Compliance No. 26-0155190, expiration January 19, 2013.
Fiscal Impact: This expenditure is available and budgeted in the Fleet Capital Improvement Fund and the General Government Grant Fund. This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $978,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary for this purpose. Each fund will contribute $489,000.00 to the project.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract on behalf of the Office of Construction Management with IMW Industries, Inc. for installation of the compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station equipment at 4211 Groves Road; to authorize the expenditure of $978,000.00 from the Fleet Capital Improvement Fund and the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($978,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 0540-2010, passed April 14, 2010, authorized the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract with Clean Fuels Ohio and to accept and appropriate a grant for CNG fueling station, including equipment purchases; and
WHEREAS, formal bids were solicited for said equipment and two companies submitted bids; and
WHEREAS, IMW Industries, Inc. was deemed the lowest, most responsive and responsible bidder; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Finance and Management Department, Office of Construction Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract with IMW Industries, Inc. so the installation of the compressed natural gas fueling station equipment at 4211 Groves Road can occur, thereby expanding the use of alternative fueled vehicles resulting in cost savings to the City; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director is hereby authorized to enter into a contract on behalf of the Office of Construction Management with IMW Industries, Inc. for installation of the compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station equipment at 4211 Groves Road.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $978,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary in regard to the action authorized in SECTION 4, be and is hereby authorized and approved as follows:
Division: 45-05
Fund: 513
Subfund: 004
Project: 550001-100002
OCA Code: 551304
Object Level 1: 06
Object Level 3: 6651
Amount: $489,000.00
Division: 45-05
Fund: 220
Grant: 451035-200000
OCA: 451035
Object Level 1: 06
Object Level 3: 6651
Amount: $489,000.00
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.