Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Fire Medical

TO:	David Corliss City Manager
FROM:	Mark Bradford Fire/Medical Chief
CC:	Debbie Van Saun, Asst. City Manager
Date:	March 2, 2007
RE:	Purchase of Investigations Vehicle

Please place the following item on the consent agenda for the City Commission to consider at their March 13, 2007 meeting:

Background:

As part of the department’s 2007 budget request and in an effort to increase efficiency in the missions of fire and coroner investigations the department is requesting to replace a converted 1991 Ford ambulance with an investigation vehicle.  Funding for this purchase will come from a joint partnership of the City and County.  Coroner responsibilities are mandates of the state and assigned to county by statute.  With the added use of coroner investigation equipment we have asked for and have received approval from Douglas County to pay a portion of this purchase. The city’s portion of this purchase would come from the 2007 General Fund operating budget in the amount of $205,000.  The county’s portion would be $17,695.00.

We have investigated various cost savings options and have located a demonstrator vehicle that has been reduced significantly in price from a new vehicle and still meets the operational needs of the department.

Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) and the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) entered into an agreement between regional councils that allow members of MARC to use the H-GAC cooperative purchasing program contracts.  This arrangement is administered by the Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative (KCRPC). 

Recommendation Action:

Fire Medical is requesting approval to purchase one demo investigation vehicle off the H-GAC cooperative contract in the amount of $222,695 from Pierce Manufacturing, Inc.