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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Awarding Contract to NOVA Bus of Plattsburg, New York for Two CyRide Battery Electric Buses and Associated Charging Equipment RESOLUTION NO. 21-041 RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO NOVA BUS OF PLATTSBURG,NEW YORK FOR TWO CYRIDE BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES AND ASSOCIATED CHARGING EQUIPMENT FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS,in July 2019,CyRide was awarded nearly$1.66 million in federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from the Low or No Emission Grant Program to utilize toward the purchase of battery electric buses and necessary infrastructure; and, WHEREAS,in August 2020,CyRide was also awarded$390,000 from Iowa's Volkswagen Settlement grant funding to help offset the local cost of this project; and, WHEREAS, due to higher than expected pricing, at the October 2020 meeting the Transit Board of Trustees allocated an additional $138,000 for the two battery-electric buses; and, WHEREAS, since receiving the award CyRide has been working with the Center for Transportation and the Environment to develop specification requirements for the two battery- electric buses; and, WHEREAS,after reviewing procurement options and securing authorization from the Iowa Department of Transportation, CyRide plans to utilize the Commonwealth of Virginia's statewide bus contract to purchase the two battery-electric buses; and, WHEREAS,the Low or No Emission program allows a grantee to purchase rolling stock and related equipment from any state's cooperative procurement contract or schedule; and, WHEREAS, Virginia's contract includes languages that allows other Federal Transit Administration funding recipients in or outside the state of Virginia to purchase vehicles using the Agreement; and, WHEREAS, this approach allows CyRide to evaluate multiple original equipment manufacturers(OEM)and enter into a purchase agreement with the OEM determined to be the best fit for the agency; and, WHEREAS,using a statewide contract also enables CyRide to purchase vehicles at a lower cost than would be expected if an independent request for proposal were to be issued; and, WHEREAS, working with the Center for Transportation and the Environment, CyRide developed evaluation criteria for the OEMs on the Virginia contract and based upon the evaluation criteria CyRide identified New Flyer of America,Inc.,of St. Cloud,Minnesota,and NOVA Bus,of Plattsburgh,New York, as the two top OEMs that met CyRide's requirements; and, WHEREAS,based on the evaluation criteria,CyRide determined the vehicles manufactured by NOVA Bus of Plassburgh, New York, would be the best selection for CyRide; and, WHEREAS,heavy-duty bus specifications are not finalized until approximately six months before delivery; therefore, final pricing has not been established, and the current pricing provided by NOVA Bus is $842,178 per vehicle for a total cost of$1,684,356; and, WHEREAS, specifications will focus on maximizing range and standardizing the buses to CyRide's current fleet and due to Iowa's cold climate, the buses are planned to be equipped with diesel auxiliary heaters to supplement the vehicle's standard electric heaters; and, WHEREAS, delivery of the buses will be approximately 12 to 18 months after a purchase order is issued; and, WHEREAS,CyRide will also work with the Center for Transportation and the Environment and NOVA Bus to purchase appropriate charging equipment; and, WHEREAS, given the large variability in charging requirements between agencies, the Virginia contract allows for coordination with OEMs to determine specific charging needs and supply pricing for equipment; and, WHEREAS, CyRide believes this approach is the correct procurement solution to ensure proper operation of the charging equipment and avoid delays once the vehicles are delivered; and, WHEREAS, CyRide has $140,000 budgeted for the charging equipment; and, WHEREAS,the Transit Board of Trustees approved the award of contract to NOVA Bus at its January 15, 2020 meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the Contract for two battery-electric buses and associated charging equipment with NOVA Bus of Plattsburgh,New York, in an amount not to exceed $1,888,000 is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 26`h day of January, 2021. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Gartin Seconded by: Corrieri Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Martin Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 26'day of January, 2021.