BOARD MEETING DATE: December 4, 2009
AGENDA NO. 4
PROPOSAL:
Execute Sole Source Contract to Develop Software and Recommend Hardware to Enhance and Streamline Field Inspections of Gasoline Stations
SYNOPSIS:
The AQMD conducts routine field inspections of all stationary sources of air pollution, including retail and non-retail gasoline dispensing facilities (GDF) throughout the South Coast Basin. There are about 3,300 retail and 1,800 non-retail gasoline dispensing stations that are subject to SCAQMD’s Rule 461 (Gasoline Transfer and Dispensing). There are 24 inspectors on the Rule 461 Compliance team responsible for inspecting these gasoline dispensing facilities. The latest changes to the state regulation by CARB, which have also been incorporated into Rule 461, have increased the complexity of the inspections and have created additional workload for compliance staff. This action is to execute a sole source contract to 3Di Systems to identify and develop a software application to improve data collection, eliminate or reduce paper forms and redundant data entries, and streamline the inspection process.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, September 18, 2009, Recommended for Approval
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Appropriate $50,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the FY 2009-10 Budget, Engineering and Compliance, Services & Supplies Major Object, Professional & Special Services Account.
Authorize the Chairman of the Board to execute a sole source contract award to 3Di Systems in an amount not to exceed $50,000 to identify and develop a software application that enhances and streamlines the inspection process for Rule 461 (Gasoline Transfer and Dispensing) for the Engineering and Compliance office.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
There are approximately 28,000 active facilities with 80,000 permits in AQMD’s permit system. The Engineering and Compliance office has 142 inspectors whose primary job is to inspect these 28,000 facilities. The geographic-based deployment is based on sector assignments that are based on two or more zip code areas. Of these 28,000 facilities, there are about 3,300 retail and 1,800 non-retail gasoline dispensing stations that are subject to AQMD’s Rule 461 (Gasoline Transfer and Dispensing) distributed over the four counties in AQMD’s jurisdiction. There are currently 24 inspectors assigned to inspect retail gas stations. With recent changes to the regulation that affect all retail and non-retail gas stations, it is imperative for AQMD to improve the efficiency of the inspection process to ensure continued compliance of these sources.
AQMD’s Rule 461 implements the State of California requirements for all retail and non-retail gasoline dispensing facilities (GDFs) with underground storage tanks to be equipped with a certified Phase II Enhanced Vapor Recovery (EVR) system no later than April 1, 2009, and with an In-Station Diagnostic (ISD) system to monitor Phase II EVR performance by September 1, 2009 for GDFs which have an annual throughput greater than 1.8 million gallons of gasoline. The deadline for GDFs with annual throughputs of 600,000-1.8 million gallons to install ISD is September 2010. ISD systems monitor the performance of the vapor recovery systems and trigger warnings for alarms to indicate potential failures. AQMD’s Rule 461 was amended on March 7, 2008 to implement the State’s requirements.
The intent of the proposed contract is to provide AQMD inspectors with the necessary tools to improve and enhance their inspections of these gasoline stations. The inspectors are currently capturing inspection data on paper forms and there is redundant data entry of the information from the paper forms to the compliance database. As part of ongoing efforts to identify and enhance and streamline field inspections, staff from the Office of Engineering and Compliance and Information Management visited the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) for a demonstration of their efforts to improve their inspection process. LAHD’s staff demonstrated the steps that the agency had undertaken both in software development and selection of appropriate hardware to improve their inspection process. The simplicity of end-user data acquisition, the reduction of paper forms, and time savings by integrating personal computer tablet technology and in-situ data entry into off-site mainframe databases were the types of enhancements that AQMD is interested in. The contractor who developed the system for LAHD was 3Di Systems. Staff subsequently met with staff from 3Di to outline AQMD’s inspection process for Rule 461 and requested a proposal to improve the current inspector process. 3Di Systems, based out of Brea, California, is a software development company with 14 years of software development experience.
Through enforcement of Rule 461 requirements, AQMD can ensure that gasoline vapor recovery systems are installed and operated in accordance with Rule 461 and all applicable CARB Executive Orders; and ultimately reduce smog-forming emissions that would otherwise be released into the air.
Proposal
Upon AQMD’s request, 3Di Systems submitted a proposal to develop a software application that will eliminate collecting data on paper forms. The proposal addresses software development, website and database integration, installation of the software application, and training for end-users. AQMD’s staff at the Offices of Engineering and Compliance and Information Management have reviewed and discussed the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed software development and implementation and concluded that 3Di Systems’ experience in developing similar compliance inspection enhancements and improvements for LAHD will be beneficial and enhance compliance objectives for AQMD.
Sole Source Justification
Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedure indicate conditions by which a sole source purchase award may be justified. These requests for a sole source award are made under provision VIII.B.2 (c)(1) and (c)(3). 3Di Systems possess unique experience and capabilities to complete this project based on having completed successfully a similar compliance automation project for the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD). 3Di has ownership of key assets required for project performance, and serves the needs of number of public sector clients such as: Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Department of Children and Family Services, Sheriff’s Department, Office of Education, & Los Angeles Housing Department. Since 1995, 3Di Systems has demonstrated experience in web based applications and mobile and wireless devices based applications that will be key to the successful implementation of this pilot project.
Resource Impacts
This expenditure was not included in the FY 2009-10 Budget and therefore requires an appropriation from the General Fund Undesignated Fund Balance to Engineering & Compliance Professional & Special Services to fund this critical project to improve and streamline the inspection process. Sufficient funds are available in the General Fund, Undesignated Fund Balance.