Special Notice / Hearing: None
Vote Required: 4/5ths
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ann M. Stillman, Interim Director of Public Works
Subject: Appropriation Transfer Request for a Fuel Management System Loan
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) transferring up to $150,000 as a loan from the Non-Departmental Services Fund to the Department of Public Works for the funding of a Fuel Management System.
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BACKGROUND:
The Department of Public Works (Department) utilizes a Fuel Management System that tracks fuel consumption, access, enables security and control of fuel stores, and monitors delivery. The Department’s current Fuel Management System (Gasboy 1000) is past its useful life and the hardware and software are no longer supported by the vendor (Gasboy). The existing software and hardware infrastructure utilize dial-up modems to communicate fuel transaction data and are unsecure. The data can be easily manipulated as County of San Mateo personnel manually enter mileage data and employee information without system verification. This process has created inaccurate reporting data that requires considerable staff resources to manually validate and/or correct.
DISCUSSION:
The Department will be updating the Fuel Management System to a cloud-based system provided by FuelForce. The system will provide secured, automated fuel access through a fuel controller keypad display that communicates via wireless connection. The FuelForce fuel management system will integrate with the Department’s cost-accounting financial system to provide data integrity and accurate fuel transactions, eliminating manual data entry. Additionally, the system is upgradeable and can be expanded to take advantage of additional technological features based on future needs (e.g., fleet electrification and energy consumption).
The Department, in collaboration with the Human Resources Department’s Procurement staff, solicited proposals and received three bids from vendors for a new, cloud-based Fuel Management System. Of the three vendors submitting proposals, FuelForce was selected as the preferred vendor with the best value.
The County Executive’s Office has approved a loan in an amount up to $150,000 to be paid back over a three-year term, at the County’s pooled rate, beginning in FY 2023-24.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the ATR as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of the loan is up to $150,000 for the purchase of the hardware, software, and installation of a new Fuel Management System, to be paid back over a three-year term starting in FY2023-24. Initial funding of the purchase is provided by Non-Departmental Services (General Fund) from budgeted appropriations for the Internal Equipment Lease Program. Repayment of the loan by the Motor Pool Internal Service Fund to Non-Departmental Services will occur over a three-year period and the cost will be included in the cost allocation of motor pool internal service charges to departments.