The city’s bidding page also reveals that consultants are being sought to track targets for the climate contingency plan
Vancouver police want a new patrol boat.
The Vancouver Park Board wants to find a supplier to supply its three golf course clubhouses with draft beer and canned beer.
The City of Vancouver wants to hire a consultant to track whether the city will meet its goals in the Climate Emergency Action Plan.
All three of these wishes are listed on the city’s bid page, where vendors can download details of each application request and submit a priced pitch in hopes of winning some deals.
What is the city budget for e.g. a new police boat?
As expected, the city will not disclose that information because the whole point of the bid is not to give bidders an indication of how much the city can afford. But shouldn’t there be an item in the city budget to provide a ballpark number?
The municipality’s response, via e-mail:
“The information that is publicly available in the city’s budget documents is not broken down into a line item level for each purchase, so it is not possible for a bidder to know the specific budget allocated to a specific purchase. For the sake of transparency, we publish the final contract amount after the completion of the purchase. “
‘End of its life’
Fair enough, but what’s wrong with the current police boat?
Over to Sgt. Steve Addison, a VPD media relations officer, for that answer.
“RG McBeath is nearing the end of its life and maintenance costs are rising,” Addison said in an email.
“Weather and salt water tend to beat up these vessels over time and cause particular problems with the electrical equipment. It is becoming more and more expensive to keep it running, and like all other vehicles in our fleet, our boats need to be in proper condition, so we can respond to calls, keep the public safe and keep our officers safe. “
Price of ball space?
Addison: “The cost of a replacement is likely to be determined through the bidding process.”
The tender closes on 2 May.
‘Taste variation, quality and unique taste’
Meanwhile, the hunt is on for one or more vendors to supply beer to Fraserview, Langara and McCleery golf course clubhouses.
Additional locations may be added in the future, according to the application request, which underscores the need for “a diverse selection of high-quality local crafts and canned beers.”
“The golf course’s clubhouses offer both a relaxed place to eat after a round of golf, as well as to host events with catering all year round,” the application document states.
“Therefore, a diverse range of products is required to meet the needs and tastes of all clubhouse guests. Regular maintenance and cleaning of equipment and wiring is also required.”
The application is not aware of how each beer brand will be chosen – or whether the city has a beer connoisseur they depend on – but “the variety, quality and uniqueness of taste will all be evaluated.”
That bid closes on April 7.
Non-emission vehicles
Another notable point on the supply side is the need for a consultant to track whether the city’s climate contingency plan – approved in November 2020 – is on track to reach the 2030 and 2050 targets.
What goals?
Here are some as outlined in the plan:
• By 2030, the goal is for 90 percent of the population to live within easy walking distance of their daily needs.
By 2030, two-thirds of Vancouver’s trips must be in transit and “active transportation,” meaning cycling, walking, rolling, etc.
• By 2030, 50 percent of the miles driven on Vancouver’s roads should be with zero-emission vehicles.
• By 2030, carbon pollution from building operations should be halved compared to the 2007 level.
• By 2030, carbon pollution from building materials and construction practices in new buildings should be reduced by 40 percent compared to a 2018 baseline.
• By 2050, Vancouver will be collecting 21,000 tons of carbon pollution a year within city limits.
The consultant’s task will be to conduct a nationwide modeling exercise to understand many things about the plan, including identifying “the gaps and the range of uncertainties in meeting [plan’s] objectives that reflect the dependence on regional, provincial and federal political and regulatory choices. “
That bid closes on March 29.
Granville Bridge
All bids, including those that are pending and others that have been awarded, can be viewed by logging in to the city’s website.
Go to the website, type “bid” in the search field, and you can e.g. find out how much Associated Engineering (BC) Ltd. was paid last year ($ 2.7 million) as a consultant for “interim connector design and north loops configuration” work on the Granville Bridge.
Or maybe you’re more interested in hearing that Applied Electronics Ltd. was paid $ 459,850 to provide an audiovisual upgrade and maintenance of systems at City Hall and the park board.
Whatever your interest in the city, chances are it is covered somewhere in the documents.
Happy reading.
@Howellings