chicagoareafire.com

Here’s some insight into the purchase of the new Horton ambulance by the Arlington Heights Fire Department:

Background

The Fire Department would like to replace Ambulance 124, which is an older, less reliable ambulance which has experienced significant engine failures, with the current model Horton Type I Additional Duty Ambulance based on the International 4300 chassis. Unfortunately, replacement of this ambulance is not currently budgeted.

However, the Village recently received a donation of $200,000 from the Laseke estate. The money was designated to be used solely for the purchase of unbudgeted equipment for use by the EMS Division of the Arlington Heights Fire Department. Using this money to purchase a new ambulance meets the provisions of the donation while providing the greatest benefit to the community and Department.

The Department wants to take advantage of the cost savings available through use of the Northwest Municipal Conference Suburban Purchase Cooperative (SPC) Ambulance Bid published January 21, 2014 for this purchase.

The SPC is a cooperative of 135 municipalities in the six county area of Northern Illinois. It awarded a one-year agreement for Type I Additional Duty Ambulances to Foster Coach Sales of Sterling, IL for the base price of $239,312. Proposals from ambulance vendors were submitted to the NWMC Fire Core Cost Containment Committee and evaluated based on the published Request for Proposal. Foster Coach Sales (Horton Ambulances) submitted the lowest responsible and responsive bid.

The vendor, Foster Coach, will provide a trade-in allowance of $8,500 for one 2007 Medtec ambulance currently in use by the Fire Department. The Department would also like to take advantage of additional cost savings negotiated with the vendor by making pre-payments on the chassis and ambulance conversion upon order placement. This will reduce the total cost by an additional $4,585. Together the pre-payment and trade-in options will reduce the total cost of the ambulance by $13,085, for a total cost of $226,227.  There are sufficient funds in the Fleet Fund to cover the bid amount in excess of the $200,000.

Foster Coach has proven reliable in the past and the Village would be protected by a performance bond posted by Foster Coach Sales.

In order to make this purchase, the following actions are requested:

1. Transfer the $200,000 donation from the General Fund to the Fleet Fund.

2. Authorize the purchase of one new ambulance at a final cost of $226,227 in the current fiscal year.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Village Board award the bid to Horton Emergency Vehicles, Grove City, Ohio and its dealer, Foster Coach Sales, Sterling, Illinois, for the purchase of one new Horton Type I Additional Duty Ambulance. It is further recommended that the Village Board authorize the pre-payment option and trade-in of one 2007 Medtec ambulance for a cost savings of $13,085, which will reduce the final cost of the ambulance to $226,227. In order to effectuate this purchase, it is further recommended that the Village Board transfer the $200,000 donation from the General Fund to the Fleet Fund and amend the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget to authorize the purchase of the ambulance.