Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Purchase of Six Dodge Durango Police Vehicles in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $360,617.97 from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget Appropriating $505,000 from the Fleet Replacement Fund (Fund 601). (Public Works 60141580)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On July 5, 2023, City Council authorized the purchase of seven 2023 Ford Police Interceptor vehicles to replace existing City of Alameda (City) fleet vehicles at the end of their useful life. Replacement police patrol vehicles are critical to ensuring reliable service call response and meeting other service delivery demands. Due to ongoing vehicle supply shortages, only one Ford Police Interceptor was delivered. The remaining six vehicles were canceled by Ford due to production constraints. As a result, the purchase order was closed, and at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 the unspent appropriation was returned to the Fleet Replacement Fund fund balance.
Staff recommend purchasing six Dodge Durango Pursuits in place of the Ford Interceptors previously authorized. This vehicle specification meets the Police Department’s requirements and most importantly, is available for quick delivery. Staff recommends a sole source purchase from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram in an amount not-to-exceed $360,617.97. Although MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram does not hold the state contract or a contract with a cooperative purchasing agency, their pricing is more than $3,000 less expensive per vehicle as compared to pricing in the state contract.
Staff also recommends adoption of a resolution amending the FY 2024-25 Budget appropriating $505,000 in the Fleet Replacement Fund (Fund 601) to facilitate purchase and build out of the new vehicles. This appropriation request includes the cost of the six vehicles and aftermarket equipment (lightbar, console assembly, tablet/keyboard mounting, etc.).
BACKGROUND
The City’s Fleet Replacement Policy is consistent with the City’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan and emphasizes greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. The revised policy focuses on right sizing the City fleet, the purchase of electric vehicles when feasible, and lowering the fleet’s GHG emissions through acquisition of low emission vehicles.
Under the City’s Fleet Replacement Policy, police patrol vehicles are listed for replacement every four years or 85,000 miles. Once an emergency vehicle has reached a point of high mileage and years of service, its reliability for emergency response and service begins to diminish.
On July 5, 2023, City Council authorized the appropriation of unspent FY 2022-23 funds to FY 2023-24 and the purchase of seven 2023 Ford Police Interceptor vehicles to replace existing vehicles at the end of their useful life. The purchase authorization was from National Auto Fleet Group in the amount of $482,533.38, or $68,877.96 per vehicle. Due to ongoing vehicle supply shortages, only one Ford Police Interceptor was delivered. The remaining six vehicles were recently canceled by Ford due to production constraints. Staff released the remaining authorized encumbrance for National Auto Fleet Group, and at the end of FY 2023-24 those unspent funds were returned to the Fleet Replacement Fund fund balance.
DISCUSSION
The Police Department requires 24 operational patrol vehicles for public safety. Thirteen of the current patrol vehicles are at or nearing the end of their approved life cycle and require replacement. The new vehicles are critical to ensuring reliable service call response and meeting other service delivery demands. Given Ford’s cancellation of the six previously ordered police vehicles, staff recommends the purchase of six Dodge Durango Pursuits to fulfill the patrol vehicle needs. This vehicle specification meets the Police Department’s requirements and most importantly, is available for quick delivery.
Exhibit 1 includes a quote from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram for the six Dodge Durango Pursuits in an amount not-to-exceed $360,617.97 or $60,102.97 per vehicle. This dealership was recommended by Alameda County and is committed to promptly delivering the vehicles. Although MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram does not hold the state contract or a contract with a cooperative purchasing agency, their pricing is less expensive than the state contract. The same six Dodge vehicles from Elk Grove Auto Group based on state contract pricing is $381,548.78 over $3,000 more per vehicle.
Exhibit 2 includes Elk Grove’s quote for reference. In addition to Alameda and Contra Costa County, the Cities of Brentwood, Pittsburg, Antioch, Benicia and Oakley also purchase from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram. Staff recommends City Council authorize the sole source purchase from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram.
The Dodge Durango Pursuits are only available with a gasoline engine and are not offered in hybrid or electric. Therefore, staff recommend only six vehicles be purchased now to replace existing vehicles past the end of their useful life. For the seven remaining vehicles nearing the end of their useful life, staff recommends waiting for model year 2025 to be available and possibly purchase hybrid model vehicles.
The funds for the previously ordered six Ford police vehicles were appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget, unspent, and subsequently returned to the Fleet Replacement Fund fund balance at the end of FY 2023-24. As a result, staff recommends adoption of a resolution amending the FY 2024-25 Fleet Replacement (Fund 601) Operating Budget appropriating $505,000 from Fund 601 fund balance to facilitate the purchase and build out of these vehicles. This amount includes the cost of the six vehicles from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram and other required aftermarket equipment (lightbar, console assembly, tablet/keyboard mounting, etc.) from various vendors.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the purchase of the proposed six Dodge Durango Pursuit Police SUVs from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram on a sole source basis for an amount not-to-exceed $360,617.97.
• Authorize the purchase of the proposed six Dodge Durango Pursuit Police SUVs from Elk Grove Auto Group, who holds the state contract, for amount not-to-exceed $381,548.78.
• Do not authorize the purchase of six police vehicles and provide staff with different direction. Keeping the existing vehicles in operation past their useful life may have increased maintenance costs and reduced reliability.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds are available in the City’s Fleet Replacement Fund (Fund 601) fund balance for the purchase and build out of the six replacement police patrol vehicles. Approving the attached Resolution authorizes appropriation of $505,000 in the Fleet Replacement Fund (601) for FY 2024-25.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code. This action supports the City’s strategic goal of Enhancing Community Safety and Services. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The emissions for the Dodge Durango Pursuit Police SUV’s engines meet or exceed CA emissions standards.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the purchase of Six Dodge Durango Police Pursuit vehicles in an amount not to exceed $360,617.97 from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram; and adopt a resolution amending the fiscal year 2024-25 Fleet Replacement (Fund 601) Operating Budget appropriating $505,000 from Fund Balance to facilitate purchase and build out of six Dodge Durango Police Pursuit Vehicles.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Carlo Balboni, Fleet Supervisor
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Quote from MY Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram
2. Quote from Elk Grove Auto Group