A6
                         ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: May 10, 1995
                                           Dept. File No. H764-1

   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

   SUBJECT:  Comfort Station Contracts 1995


   RECOMMENDATION

        A.   THAT  Council approve,  without  tender,  awarding  the
             contracts for  the operation of the  City's two comfort
             stations to selected  qualified Operators on the  basis
             of  historic rates  adjusted annually  on  a negotiated
             basis but  with increases  not to exceed  those awarded
             under the provisions of the V.M.R.E.U. contract

        B.   THAT  the General  Manager of  Engineering Services  be
             authorized to negotiate the contract each year with the
             incumbent Operator, if continuation of his/her services
             is  mutually   agreeable,  or  to  recruit  a  suitable
             replacement, under the established contract provisions,
             from the local community served.

        C.   THAT the  Director of  Legal Services be  authorized to
             prepare and  execute new  agreements  with the  present
             Operator, Mr.  Gerald London,  for the period  April 1,
             1995  to December 31,  1995, inclusive on  the basis of
             the appropriate rates for this period.

   COUNCIL POLICY

   The Policy of Council  is to award contracts for the  purchase of
   equipment, supplies and services that will give the highest value
   based on quality, service and price.

   There is no specific Council  policy on tendering procedures  but
   contracts  in  excess of  $50,000  are generally  open  to public
   tender.


   PURPOSE

   This report seeks  Council approval for  the continuation of  the
   practice of  awarding the  contracts for  the City's  two comfort
   stations outside of the normal public tender process.
   BACKGROUND

   Engineering Services administers the City's two Comfort Stations.
   They  are  located  at Hamilton  and  Hastings  and  at Main  and
   Hastings  and   were  opened  in  1922   and  1923  respectively.
   Historically,  the  Comfort  Stations  have  been  operated under
   contract by people familiar  with the community they serve.   The
   normal  tendering process has never been followed in the award of
   these contracts.  Instead, new Operators have been recruited from
   existing  comfort  station staff  and  annual  extensions or  new
   appointments  have  been   approved  through  Manager's  Minutes.
   Increases  have been  negotiated annually  with the  Operator but
   have been limited to  wage increases under the provisions  of the
   City's  V.M.R.E.U. contract.  This process  has provided the City
   with a certain degree of service level continuity when individual

   Operators retired or were no longer available and has resulted in
   a  high level  of commitment  on the part  of the  Operators, and
   acceptable wage rates.

   In  the  late 1993,  the Operator,  Mr.  Bill Smith,  passed away
   suddenly.  At that time Mr. Smith's assistant, Mr. Gerald London,
   took  over  the operation  under an  interim  agreement.   He has
   proven to be a capable  Operator over the interim period  and has
   indicated that he wishes to  continue with the present operation.
   He has also indicated that he  would undertake the contract at no
   increase.  As the present contract award process is not in strict
   compliance with the normal tendering procedures, it was felt that
   it should be reviewed and put forward for Council endorsement.

   DISCUSSION

   The present  agreement provides for the  following monthly rates,
   including net GST:

                       Station           1994 Contract
                       Location            Rate/Month

                   #1 - Hamilton &         $ 6,130.48
                        Hastings

                   #2 - Main &             $ 6,130.48
                        Hastings

   The agreement provides that  the Contractor/Operator must pay the
   attendants  4%  vacation pay  and  pay  the  employer's share  of
   Unemployment Insurance and  the Canada Pension  Plan, as well  as
   the Worker's Compensation  Board assessments on the  total of all
   wages.  In order  to keep the stations open a minimum of 12 hours
   daily, the  Contractor/Operator must hire a minimum  of three (3)
   part-time attendants.   The  Contractor also supplies  the needed
   brushes and brooms.
   The City supplies paper towels, toilet paper, soap, utilities and
   provides   building  maintenance.     The  present   hourly  rate
   stipulated  for  the operator  is $10.75  per  hour, and  for the
   attendants $7.65 per hour.

   Attendants are generally from the local community  who care about
   the facility  operation.  This process offers  them an employment
   opportunity  that may  not otherwise  be available  to them.   In
   effect,  the existing  award  process helps  to  ensure that  the
   comfort  stations provide  physical and  social benefits  in tune
   with the community  they serve.  It is felt  that a formal tender
   process would  introduce restrictions on our  ability to maintain
   the  local pride and commitment  to neighbourhood service we have
   enjoyed to date.


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