ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
May 26, 1995
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager, Engineering Services and
City Purchasing Agent
SUBJECT: Award of Tender No. 54-95-01
The Supply of Parking Meters
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council accept the bid which offers the best value to the City
from Trafco (Canada) for three hundred and seventy-four (374) McKay
twin electronic parking meters, model MKV-97-2-HD/K-32, and thirty-
five (35) McKay single electronic parking meters, model MKV-97-
HD/K-32, complete with canisters, at a total cost of $335,633.67,
plus the Provincial Sales Tax, subject to a contract satisfactory
to the Director of Legal Services.
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, except where an allowance of a maximum of
5% is given to those bidders whose tender reflects local content.
Contracts with a value over $200,000 are referred to Council for award.
DISCUSSION
Tenders for the above were opened on May 8, 1995, and referred to the
General Manager, Engineering Services and City Purchasing Agent for
report. The Provincial Sales Tax is in addition to all prices shown in
this report and in the tabulation. The G.S.T. is not applicable to this
purchase. A copy of the tabulation of bids is on file in the City
Purchasing Agent's Office. Funds of $364,000.00 for this purchase are
provided from the Meter Purchase, Meter Expansion and Yaletown Meter
Accounts.
The tender requested prices for twin and single mechanical parking
meters and, as an alternative, twin and single electronic parking
meters, to serve up to 850 parking spaces. Since the opening of
tenders, Engineering Services have advised that 374 twin and 35 single
parking meters for a total of 783 parking spaces are now required.
Three firms submitted a total of three bids for mechanical meters and a
total of six bids for the alternative electronic meters.
Total prices for the mechanical meters range from $269,178.25 to
$312,960.35 and total prices for the alternative electronic meters range
from $275,649.75 to $411,304.05.
The low bid for mechanical meters, at a total cost of $269,178.25, meets
the tender specifications but is not recommended for acceptance. We are
recommending the purchase of electronic meters at an additional cost of
$66,455.42, for a total cost of $335,633.67 (recommended bid), on the
basis of best value, as discussed below.
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Electronic meters provide reduced maintenance costs, estimated to be
$7,800.00 per year over the 20-year life of the meters. Electronic
meters also provide ease of rate changes, positive audit capability, the
ability to accept more coin combinations, acceptance of fewer foreign
objects and importantly, in the case of the recommended bid, the ease of
retrofitting to accept a smart card or debit card once this new
technology is further developed and available.
Lower bids than the recommended bid were received from Interprovincial
Traffic Services Ltd. and Duncan Industries for electronic meters but
are not recommended for acceptance for the following reasons:
The POM model APM-2X electronic meter mechanism, offered by
Interprovincial Traffic Services Ltd., is of a new technology that
is not yet proven. This is a single meter that controls two
parking spaces. The initial tests of a demonstration unit,
conducted by City staff, proved the controls to be confusing to
use. Many times the wrong space was selected.
The Duncan Eagle electronic meter mechanism, offered by Duncan
Industries, does not meet the tender specifications for the number
of coin combinations. 12 are required and the Duncan unit provides
7. The number of coin combinations is important. The Canadian
Mint is to produce a $2.00 coin and is changing the metal content
in the other coins. We also accept U.S. coins. In addition, the
mechanism does not allow for the eventual upgrade to smart card or
debit card use.
The bid for electronic meters received from Trafco (Canada), at a total
cost of $335,633.67, meets all tender specifications and allows for the
future upgrade to smart card or debit card use. We are, therefore,
recommending acceptance of this bid, which offers the best value to the
City.
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