ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

 

Date:

February 18, 2004

 

Author:

M. Deo

 

Phone No.:

604.323.7792

 

RTS No.:

04002

 

CC File No.:

1805

 

Meeting Date:

March 9, 2004

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services
Manager of Materials Management

SUBJECT:

Direct Purchase of two (2) Sentinel Sweepers

RECOMMENDATION

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.

Contracts with a value over $300,000 are referred to Council.

DISCUSSION

This report requests authority from Council for the direct purchase of two (2) Sentinel model sweepers from the Tennant Sales and Service Company without calling for tender. Tennant Sales and Service Company provide manufacturer direct sales and therefore is the sole supplier of this equipment in North America.

The sweepers were demonstrated by the Park Board and Sanitations Branch and found to be acceptable. The requested sweepers have unique operational benefits. The sweepers are smaller in size than the City's existing seven (7) full-size sweepers and also are the only sweepers available on the market with 4-wheel steer capability and the retractable front broom. The smaller 4-wheel steer sweepers are needed in the City to properly clean the growing number of corner bulges, round-a-bouts, bike routes and seawalls. The existing larger sweepers can not perform adequate cleaning of these areas due to the physical size and operational function of the machines. The Sentinel sweeper also has an option that allows operators to dump directly into dump trucks during the leaf season as well as containers placed in various locations throughout the City. This feature will result in saving lost sweeping time due to travel to and from the City's designated dump sites.

The Equipment Services Branch and Park Board have researched alternate makes and models of sweeper for these applications and at this time, no other sweeper can be located that combines the physical size, maneuverability, cleaning and high dump capabilities of the Sentinel sweeper.

To ensure the City receives fair market pricing on this purchase, the City reviewed a copy of a recent invoice from another municipality for the sale of a similarly equipped Sentinel Sweeper. The purchase offer to the City of Vancouver is $1,500 less than was paid by the other municipality.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The existing two (2) units are included as part of the 2003/2004 Equipment Replacement Program. Funds for the purchase of these units are provided from the Truck and Equipment Plant Account.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, we recommend the direct purchase of two Tennant Sentinel model sweepers from the Tennant Sales and Service Company for $336,655.34 ($162,088.47 per sweeper, plus $658.79 for an air suspended driver seat per sweeper, plus $174.82 for an engine step kit per sweeper, plus $10,811.18 for a high dump option for the Sanitation Operations sweeper)

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