Title
Cooperative Purchasing Contract for Battery Electric Bus Purchase
Action
Action:
A. Approve the purchase of battery electric buses from a cooperative contract,
B. Approve a unit price contract with Gillig for the purchase of battery electric buses for a term of one year under State of Washington Master Contract #06719, and
C. Authorize the City Manager to extend the contract for additional terms for as long as the cooperative contract is in effect, at prices and terms that are the same or more favorable than those offered under the cooperative contact.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
John Lewis, CATS
Allen Smith III, CATS
Jennifer Fehribach, CATS
Explanation
§ The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has 316 buses in its fixed-route bus fleet and per federal guidelines is eligible to retire and replace buses that have reached end of useful life, which is defined as 12 years and/or 500,000 miles.
§ These purchases are anticipated to expand the current battery electric bus fleet, advancing CATS’ efforts supporting the Strategic Energy Action Plan.
§ NC General Statute Section 143-129(e)(3) allows local governments to purchase from formally organized cooperative purchasing contracts.
§ A cooperative purchasing agreement results from the consolidation and competitive solicitation of multiple public agency requirements. By aggregating common needs, all agencies can leverage economies of scale, such as volume discounts, improved terms and conditions, reduced administrative costs, and access to professional and technical expertise.
§ Initial expenditures are estimated to be $27,834,411.
Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE)
The manufacturers of buses are in compliance with the Federal Transit Administration regulation 49 CFR Part 26.49, which required Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Opportunity certifications from Transit Vehicle Manufacturers as condition of being authorized to bid on transit procurements funded by the Federal Transit Administration.
Fiscal Note
Funding: CATS Capital Investment Plan