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iREPORT T° the "°n°rabl" May°r and .C.,ity C°uncill <br /> <br /> From the City ManagerJ <br /> <br />September 9, 2002 <br /> <br />Subject <br />Sole source purchase of parking meters <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />By Motion, waive the bidding requirements of the Redwood City Code Chapter 2, Article 7, <br />Section 2.76 on the grounds that strict compliance would not serve the public interest, and <br />authorize the purchase of parking meter mechanisms and repair parts from Duncan <br />Industries, Inc. as the sole source provider in the amount of $31,450. <br /> <br />Background <br />This recommendation continues the practice of sole source parking meter purchase with <br />Duncan Industries. The City has 1,410 parking meters, as of our latest inventory, <br />comprised solely of Duncan Industries meters. The parking meter inventory contains both <br />older mechanical meter timer mechanisms and lower maintenance electronic meter timer <br />mechanisms. The City is purchasing electronic meter mechanisms for all replacement <br />parking meter mechanisms. The current replacement schedule is in year nine of a ten-year <br />cycle to convert all of the mechanical meter mechanisms to electronic meter mechanisms, <br />replacing approximately 150 meters per year. At the end of year ten, all the mechanical <br />meters will have been replaced. <br /> <br /> Findings: <br />1) Meter manufacturers have different meter designs,~replacement parts and meter <br /> mechanisms. Replacement parts are only available for the Duncan meters through <br /> Duncan Industries. <br />2) Parts inventory and training are kept to a minimum by the standardization of all <br /> parking meters within the system. <br />3) Differences in parking meter manufactUrers would require multiple electronic <br /> programming tools to modify rates and re-program different electronic meters. <br /> <br /> Staff has developed an effective relationship with Duncan Industries, which has provided <br /> excellent' customer service'including prompt replacement of failed 'units, 'prompt <br /> replacement of defective units, and technical assistance when modifying rates and time <br /> limits in both the mechanical and electronic timing mechanisms. <br /> <br /> The purchase will cover both new parking meter mechanisms and repair parts. Duncan's <br /> parking meter repair parts range from $2 to $50. Electronic parking meter mechanisms <br /> cost approximately $185 (after sales tax). Duncan's price ~as remained the same for the <br /> past three years. The purchase of one hundred fifty (150) electronic parking meter <br /> mechanisms amounts to $27,750. The remaining $3,700 will be used to purchase meter <br /> repair parts, housings, and any additional meters that fail or are lost to vandalism. <br /> <br /> Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br /> <br />