BOARD MEETING DATE: September 11, 2009
AGENDA NO. 2

PROPOSAL:

Execute Sole Source Contract and Issue RFP to Implement Education/Training Element of Chairman’s Helping Hand Initiative

SYNOPSIS:

In February 2009, the Board approved the Chairman’s Helping Hand Initiative which includes development of an education/training element for new technology installation and maintenance. To implement the education element, staff has been in discussions with Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) Network of California Community Colleges to develop a scope of work for enhanced training programs. This action is to execute a sole source contract with ATTE in an amount not to exceed $500,000 to develop curricula to be offered at local community colleges. A second component is the development of outreach and education to truck operators on the availability of advanced engine technologies and improved fuel efficiency. This action is to issue an RFP for customer service centers at two major truck stops for an amount not to exceed $150,000. Sufficient funds are available from Clean Fuels Fund to execute the sole source contract and issue RFP. The overall effort to implement the education component of the Initiative will not exceed $1,000,000.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, July 24, 2009

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Authorize the Chairman to execute a sole source contract with the Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) Network of the California Community Colleges to develop a scope of work for enhanced training programs in new vehicle technologies, renewable energy technologies, and energy efficient technologies in an amount not to exceed $500,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
2. Authorize the issuance of an RFP for customer service centers at two major truck stops for an amount not to exceed $150,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
    

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At the February 6, 2009 Board meeting, the Governing Board approved a general work plan for the Chairman’s “Helping Hand Initiative for 2009.” The work plan included the co-sponsorship of an education/training element and public/private partnerships for new technology installation and maintenance. The objective of this work plan is to ensure that available new low- and zero-emission technologies are properly installed and maintained after their introduction. A goal of the work plan is to build upon the AQMD’s past partnerships with the community college system and other local technology education providers to offer training programs in areas of alternative fuel vehicle maintenance, retrofit pollution control system installation, and other air pollution related automobile repair. In addition, the work plan will establish customer service centers for owners/operators of Class 8 line-haul and short-haul trucks in at least two major truck stop locations, one in the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach area and a second in the Inland Empire. The outreach centers will represent all participating brands of trucks and the selected vendor will help trucking companies select equipment and provide information on low-interest loans and government buydown incentive programs.
 

Proposal

Staff is proposing co-funding a program to initially design the development of curricula in five critical areas: heavy-duty vehicles, alternative fuel technology, renewable energy, high-voltage technology and emissions technician technical training. Staff is proposing that the curricula be developed by the Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) Network of the California Community Colleges with subsequent approval by the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges. The objectives of this partnership with the California Community Colleges and ATTE is to design, develop, and beta test a comprehensive long-term community college curriculum-based program that addresses training needs to ensure that new low- and zero-emission technologies are properly installed and maintained after introduction. The overall program goal is to design a long-term self,- sustained community college curriculum-based certificate and/or credit program to address present and ongoing technician training needs throughout the region. A final component of the program will be to make these curricula available to private institutions upon proper completion of “training the trainer” courses given by ATTE.

ATTE has established various course offerings on alternative fuel vehicle technology, advanced retrofit control technologies, energy efficiency, and renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind. Staff is proposing that ATTE enhance existing programs and develop new curricula as necessary.

The objectives of the ATTE program are threefold:

1. To document the availability of existing community college programs/courses in clean technology, including alternative fuels and renewable energy, in particular photovoltaic and solar thermal, at representative community colleges within the SCAQMD region for the Fall Semester 2009.
2. To assess the capacity and capability of existing programs and, where necessary, ensure the creation or expansion and implementation of clean technology programs at selected community colleges within the SCAQMD region.
3. To design, develop, and beta test selected new curricula to ensure appropriate community college student technical training in the SCAQMD region, that addresses training needs consistent with the SCAQMD goals for clean technology usage and development in the region.

The overall goal is to put in place a community college curriculum-based certificate and/or credit program to address present and ongoing technician training needs throughout the region for purposes of advancing clean technology.

The second action of staff’s proposal is the issuance of an RFP for the design and establishment of, at a minimum, two customer service centers in major truck stops to provide training materials on such topics as retrofit availability, low-interest loan programs, incentive buydown programs and smartway truck technology transfer and technical assistance. The primary focus will be on drayage truck operators at the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach and at warehouse and intermodal yards. As such, the two customer service centers are proposed to be located in the Port areas of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the Inland Empire region of the South Coast Air Basin. The cost of the two customer service centers will not exceed $150,000.

A third component of the educational/training workplan proposed by staff, not included in this proposal at this time, includes education/training curriculum development for private educational institutions. The work plan included the co-sponsorship of education/training partnership for private institutions for new technology installation and maintenance. Staff plans to revisit this component of the workplan at a later date after several of the curricula are developed by ATTE.
 

Benefits to AQMD

The AQMP relies upon the accelerated implementation of advanced technologies within Southern California to achieve federal and state ambient air quality standards and to obtain further reductions in air toxic exposure. Historically, there continues to be a gap between the advent of new technologies and their implementation. Even for those “early adaptors” there can be a significant variance in the ease of use of new technologies. All of this leads to a limitation on achieving air quality improvements in a timely manner, associated with these new green technologies. For example, in many instances alternative fueled vehicles and other renewable technologies have not been used to the greatest extent possible because: 1) many of the end-users have not prepared for the transition to operating and maintaining the new technologies; 2) for those who do understand such transition elements, they may be unable to provide the resources necessary to provide technician training programs; 3) many end-users do not have the necessary tools or equipment to service alternative-fueled vehicles or maintain new green technologies; and 4) there has not been a consistent program in place to provide the necessary training for existing and new technicians. This proposed program will help bridge the gap between the advent of new technologies and the implementation of such technologies.
 

Sole Source Justification

Section VIII.B.2. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. This request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.d.(8): Research and development efforts with educational institutions or nonprofit organizations. The contract is with the Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) Network of the California Community Colleges. Specifically, this contract is for the development of curricula that address training needs to ensure that new low- and zero-emission technologies are properly installed and cared for after introduction. An overall program goal is to design a long-term self-sustained community college curriculum-based certificate and/or credit program that addresses present and ongoing technician training needs throughout the region with an additional future component to make this curricula available to private institutions upon a proper completion of “training the trainer” courses given by ATTE.
 

Resource Impacts

The total amount of funding for the sole source award to the Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) Network of the California Community Colleges shall not exceed $500,000. The RFP for the customer service centers at two major truck stop locations in the port region of Los Angeles/Long Beach and the Inland Empire region shall not exceed $150,000. The overall effort to execute the education/training component of the Chairman’s Helping Hand Initiative shall not exceed $1,000,000. Sufficient funds are available in the Clean Fuels Fund, which is established as special revenue from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code Section 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.
 

Attachment (DOC, 753k)

RFP No. P2010-05