Memorandum 16-045 Replacement Ambulance Bid Award

Memorandum 16-045

TO:  Katie Koester, City Manager       

FROM:  Robert Painter, Fire Chief

DATE:  March 4, 2016

SUBJECT:  Ambulance Bid Award and Options

On September 28, 2015, they Homer City Council adopted Ordinance 15-33 approving and allocating a budget of $180,000 for the purchase of a new ambulance for the fire department. $95,500 of this funding is being provided by a State of Alaska “Code Blue” grant, with $25,500 of that total coming from available funds provided by the USDA. The council also agreed to fund the balance of the estimated cost of the ambulance from Fire Department Fleet Reserves of $84,500.

On February 26, 2016 three sealed proposals were opened, as advertised, in Council Chambers. Of the three proposals opened, one contained just a letter explaining that the company declined to prepare a bid for the ambulance, the second contained a proposal from Sawtooth Emergency Vehicles of Boise, Idaho, representing Osage Ambulances for an amount of $175,500, and the third proposal, from Rocky Mountain Ambulance Sales and Service of Paragonah, Utah, representing Wheeled Coach Industries, for a price of $167,000.

In evaluating the two actual proposals, it was determined that the proposal from Sawtooth Emergency Vehicles was for a 2016 F-450 chassis with a “Liquid Air” Suspension System installed (both of which were beyond the bid specifications). As such, and with the agreement of Southern Region EMS Council, representing the State of Alaska and the USDA, found that the proposal from Sawtooth was unresponsive thus the successful bidder should be Rocky Mountain Ambulance Sales and Service.

I recommend that the bid for the new ambulance be awarded to the firm of Rocky Mountain Ambulance Sales and Service for the sum of $167,000. The balance of the total project budget, $13,000, will be allocated for the purchase of necessary equipment for the new ambulance.