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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE WAIVER OF FORMAL BID PROCEDURES AND PROVISIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 3-38 AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR, OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000.00 BETWEEN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION (WVURC), FOR THE PREPARATION OF A REPORT ANALYZING THE FEASIBILITY OF USING BIODIESEL IN DEISEL BUSES OPERATED BY MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,
           NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby authorizes the waiver of formal bid procedures and provisions of Administrative Order 3-38 and further authorizes the County Mayor, or his designee, to execute an agreement between Miami-Dade County and West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC), in substantially the form attached hereto and made a part hereof, for the preparation of a report analyzing the feasibility of using biodiesel in diesel buses operated by Miami-Dade Transit; and authorizes the County Mayor or his designee to execute said agreement; and authorizing termination of said agreement .

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Date:


To: Honorable Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro
and Members, Board of County Commissioners


From: George M. Burgess
County Manager

Subject: Resolution Authorizing the Waiver of Formal Bid Procedures and Provisions of Administrative Order 3-38 and Authorizing the County Mayor to Execute an Agreement in an Amount not to Exceed $150,000 Between Miami-Dade County and The West Virginia University Research Corporation for the Preparation of a Report Analyzing the Feasibility of Using Biodiesel in Diesel Buses Operated by Miami-Dade Transit


This substitute item differs from the original in that it corrects a scrivener’s error in the “Background” section clarifying that this agreement is for a twelve-month period. In addition, it corrects a scrivener’s error on the attached agreement revising the estimated task completion dates, the duration of the agreement and payment schedule.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) waive formal bid procedures and the provisions of Administrative Order 3-38 and authorize execution of the attached agreement, in an amount not to exceed $150,000, between Miami-Dade County and the West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) for a biodiesel analysis of diesel buses operated by Miami-Dade Transit (MDT). WVURC is uniquely qualified with a nationally recognized group of researchers experienced in performing the required testing and in providing both a chassis dynamometer and mobile emissions laboratory capable of accommodating a 40 foot bus on site at MDT’s Major Overhaul Facility. The waiver of the provisions of AO 3-38 is in the best interest of Miami-Dade County.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The impact of this analysis benefits the public transit users and is, therefore, Countywide.

..FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE
This is a fixed price agreement not to exceed $150,000.00 for a twelve-month period. This agreement will be funded through the Local Option Gas Tax (LOGT).

..DELEGATED AUTHORITY
In accordance with Section 2-8.3 of the Miami-Dade County Code related to identifying delegation of Board authority, there are no authorities beyond that specified in the resolution which include authority for the Mayor or designee to execute and terminate the agreement.

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The persons responsible for monitoring this agreement are Fred Shields, Special Projects Administrator II, MDT Field Engineering and Tony Arroyo, MDT Contracts. Miami-Dade Transit’s market research, consisting of web searches and inquiries to the industry and other transit agencies, identified only WVURC as the best qualified and most capable entity to perform the required testing on full size transit buses at our facility in Miami-Dade County. WVURC has performed emissions testing for Miami-Dade County in the past to evaluate alternative fuels for use in the Miami-Dade Transit bus fleet. WVURC’s past testing performance for Miami-Dade County has been more than satisfactory.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
Biodiesel is a clean-burning, renewable alternative fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat. Biodiesel blended in ratios up to 20% with petroleum diesel (B20) are permitted for use in MDT’s transit bus engines. The biodiesel available in South Florida is manufactured predominantly from soybean oil and palm oil feed stocks.

Board Resolution No. R-1296-04 (October 19, 2004) along with subsequent Board directives called for feasibility reviews analyzing use of biodiesel in diesel buses operated in Miami-Dade County. The objective of the proposed testing is to determine the impact of B20 fuel blends on MDT’s bus fleet fuel consumption, driver perceived vehicle performance, and emissions (with emphasis on greenhouse gases and oxides of nitrogen). The approval of this agreement would establish a twelve-month agreement between Miami-Dade County and the West Virginia University Research Corporation. The WVURC will develop the test plan and procedures, provide the testing equipment including chassis dynamometer and mobile emissions laboratory, conduct the tests, evaluate the test results, and provide a comprehensive report to MDT.

WVURC is a leading research facility in the fields of Internal Combustion Engines, Alternative Fuels, and Emissions. They have completed numerous federally-funded projects in these fields for the Department of Transportation (DOT); Department of Energy (DOE); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL); and the Department of Defense (DoD). They have also conducted a great amount of research for the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) International; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); California Air Resources Board (CARB); Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the National Academy of Sciences/Transit Cooperative Research Program. Additionally, WVURC has performed testing for the major manufacturers of transit bus engines including Detroit Diesel Corporation, Cummins Inc., and Caterpillar Inc.

Having developed Transportable Heavy-duty Vehicle Emissions Testing Laboratories capable of obtaining reliable emissions data for alternative fuel vehicles, along with the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Transportation Technologies, WVURC’s staff and resources make the institution uniquely qualified for this project. Their laboratories have been in operation and have tested vehicles at locations throughout the United States, including Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and MDT. As such, it is in the best interest of the County to waive formal competitive bid procedures pursuant to Section 5.03(D) and 2-8.1(B) of the Code of Miami-Dade County and authorize this agreement between the WVURC and Miami-Dade County.





______________________________
Assistant County Manager




Honorable Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro
and Members, Board of County Commissioners
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