HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-21-2004-5iORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 21, 2004
Action Agenda
Item No.J~- j
SUBJECT: Bid Award: Standby Generators for Government Services Center
and Southern Human Services Center
DEPARTMENT: Purchasing
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Bid Tabulation
INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Cannel) 245-2651
Pam Jones, 245-2652
Paul Thames 245-2303
TELEPHONE-NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider awarding a bid fora 200 KW diesel generator for the Southern Human
Services Center (SHSC) and a 125 KW natural gas generator for the Government Services
Center (GSC) to Cummins Atlantic from Greensboro, NC.
BACKGROUND: Funds were allocated in the 2004-2014 CIP to make the SHSC, GSC and
Richard Whiffed Human Services Center (RWHSC) "generator ready". The original scope of the
project contemplated modification of the existing electrical systems to accommodate a rented
generator that would be activated by a new manual transfer switch. The generators would be
rented and brought on site in anticipation of any event that would likely threaten the power
supplies to the buildings, usually weather related.
While the Department of Emergency Management has generally been able to acquire
generators in an emergency for buildings that were also being used in the emergency response,
such as schools set up as shelters, staff exploration of this option revealed the readiness of
generators far non-emergency buildings, such as GSC or either of the human services
buildings might be considerably less reliable, at best. In order to guarantee the availability of
rental generators in the event of prolonged power outages, the County would need to enter into
a "Contingency Plan" (insurance plan) with a generator rental firm, The contingency plan
requires that one pay a monthly premium during the 10 months that make up the hurricane and
winter storm months. Further, the plans are priced based on giving the generator rental
company either 12, 24, 36 or 48 hours notice for the delivery of a generator(s). Each plan
requires a minimum of one-week rental fee and delivery charges. The annual cost for the plan
increases as the amount of lead time decreases as reflected below:
Government Services Center Southern Human Services Center
12 hour notice $ 17,500.00 $ 24,000,00
24 hour notice $ 14,500.00 $ 18,300.00
36 hour notice $ 11,800.00 $ 15,000,00
48 hour notice $ 3,000.00 $ 5,300,00
The RW HSC presently has an 80 KW diesel generator that powers portions of the first floors of
the A & B buildings, During meetings held with the Department Heads from the Whiffed
Building, it was determined that this level of emergency power would be sufficient to provide
essential services by the resident agencies, including but not limited to, services of the Health
Department clinics and electronic benefit transfer (EBT) transactions by DSS. Further, the
electrical wiring schematic of the Whiffed Building would make hook up of a generator to the
entire facility difficult and costly, Far these reasons, staff focus shifted to providing emergency
power to the GSC and SHSC, neither of which are currently served with any form of emergency
power.. Assessment of the peak summer and winter usage ratings as provided by Duke Power
reflected that the GSC could be served with one 125 KW generator and the SHSC could be
served with one 200 KW generator, These units would power both buildings, including HVAC.
Considering the cost of the rental program and the notice requirements that would be necessary
in order to have a generator delivered, an on-site permanent generator with an automatic
transfer switch is being recommended for both buildings. The first hours after a disaster has
struck are critical, Human Services agencies that will provide much needed relief to the citizens
must be poised to react within a relatively short time period. This desired state of readiness
would be severely hampered with even the lowest notice period provided by the contingency
program (12 hours), In addition, the presence of an on-site generator that would kick in
immediately upon power interruption at the SHSC would eliminate the need for the Heath
Department to move expensive vaccines that require refrigeration and would also ensure the
continued operation of the SHSC telephone system, which now operates with only a 30-minute
battery backup, While the Commissioners may choose to explore options in the future that will
remove some County buildings from the electric grid, it is likely that these generators could
continue to be utilized at some County facility, while providing much needed emergency power
capabilities for the designated buildings in the near term,
Bid specifications that included furnishing and installing the generators were developed and
advertised on the Purchasing Department's website. Three bids were received from a field of
twelve vendors who were solicited, A bid tabulation is attached. Following an evaluation of the
results by the Purchasing, Public Works, and Engineering staffs, a 200 KW diesel unit that will
use biodiesel is recommended for SHSC and a 125 KW natural gas unit is recommended for
GSC. Cummins Atlantic of Greensboro, North Carolina submitted the lowest responsible bid at
a delivered and installed cost of $62,800 for GSC and $70,200 for SHSC,
FINANCIAL. IMPACT: Total cost of this action, if approved by the Board, would be
$133,000.00, Sufficient funds to cover this equipment acquisition and installation have already
been appropriated in the County's Emergency Power Capital Project Ordinance,
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board award a bid to Cummins
Atlantic of Greensborg North Carolina in the amount of $133,000,00 for providing and installing
generators and automatic transfer switches at the Government Services Center and the
Southern Human Services Center; and authorize the Purchasing Director to execute the
necessary, paperwork.
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