Memorandum
City
of Lawrence
Public
Works
|
TO: |
Chuck Soules Director of Public Works |
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FROM: |
Steve Stewart |
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CC: |
Mark Thiel Assistant Director of Public works, Mike Perkins Street Division Manager, Tammy Bennett Assistant Director of Public Works |
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Date: |
03/14/2014 |
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RE: |
Central Maintenance Garage parts room equipment |
Please
place the following item on the consent agenda for the City Commission to
consider at the March 25, 2014 meeting:
Background
Public Works requested proposals for a parts carousel to store car and
truck parts. These pieces of equipment will consolidate parts storage and free
up much needed floor space in the parts area of the garage. This would allow for
relocation of the new fleet manager and the systems field supervisor from
upstairs. Moving these two people back down stairs will improve efficiency of
the operation and allow for better communications between all staff and
supervisors, reducing delays in operational decisions and increasing
operational performance.
I believe it is critical to have the new manager’s office close to the
floor operations to give him a better understanding of the operation and
obstacles facing the staff. Consolidated office operations will also allow for
better supervision and communication with staff; and it will improve
efficiencies in vehicle repair procedures and transportation of vehicles to
outside vendors by reducing response times.
The biggest improvement in efficiency will be in accessing and
distribution of the parts stock to technicians. Additionally, inventory control
and reporting will improve. The search and retrieve software can be linked to
the fleet software allowing the removed part to be automatically billed to the
repair order of the unit as well as adding the part number to the appropriate
vendor stock orders.
Garage staff reviewed seven companies that offered this type of
equipment and contacted two in the area to evaluate our space needs. Southwest
Solutions Group was the only one that responded with an onsite visit and drew
up a recommendation of how we could improve our operation and resolve our
storage needs. Plan
view and proposal accompany this memo.
Southwest is the State of Kansas contract vendor and the recommended
vendor on the NJPA multi-agency bid for this type of equipment.
Funding:
The 2014 budget process approved $50,000
for capital equipment purchases in line 504-3-3210-6005. The additional expense
of this equipment can be covered by deferral of other funded purchases of tools
and equipment during the course of the fiscal year. Lead times for production
of equipment and installation may allow part of the project to be funded in the
2015 budget. Total cost of all equipment and installation is $93,028.51
Action
Request
Authorize the Public Works Department Central Maintenance Garage to proceed
with the purchase of this equipment from Southwest Solutions Inc. under the
NJPA contract in the amount of $93,028.51.
|
cc: |
Cynthia Wagner |
Chuck Soules |
Steve Stewart |
|
|
Dianne Stoddard |
Diane Trybom |
Bobbie Walthall |