Item D11
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: Au~ust 16. 2006
Division: County Administrator
Bulk Item: Yes...x...- No
Department:
Airports
Staff Contact Person: Peter Horton
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval to purchase two ADA Passenger Loading Devices from
Lift-A-Loft Corp. for $60,847.
ITEM BACKGROUND: Lift-A-Loft is the only manufacturer of stair/lift passenger boarding devices.
This is a sole-source purchase. These stair/lift combination devices are necessary to serve the needs of
our regional jet passengers.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: On April 20, 2005 BOCC approved to submit PFC
Application #11 to the Federal Aviation Administration.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: NIA
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Approval. As per attached documentation, the FAA has approved
this purchase.
TOTAL COST:
$60.847.00
BUDGETED: Yes ~ No
COST TO COUNTY: 0
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
100% PFC
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No ---X- AMOUNT PER MONTH: NIA Year
APPROVED BY: County Attorney NIA OMB/Purchasing NI A Risk Management NIA
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
~B-
(peter J. Horton)
Not Required _
DOCUMENTATION:
Included X
DISPOSITION:
AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 2/05
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Susan Moore
Program Manager
Federal Aviation AdminisU~tiO
5950 Hazeltine National Dr.
Suite 400
:~: 32822 IU
Re: ADA Passenger Lift
Monroe CouDty Florida
Airport Planuinl & Development
3491 S. Roorevelt Blvd
Key West, PL 33040
305.296.7223
Dear Susan,
In response to our current inability to provide ADA access to the full range of aircraft
now flying into Key West, we expected that we would need to purchase a larger ramp to
provide access to the larger planes as stated in our January 2006 PFC Application.
As mentioned in your May 30th phone conversation with Larry Chalmers and Alan
French, we investigated the various devices which provide ADA access to larger planes.
In the process of this investigation, we identified a system which we believe will provide
much better service to the traveling public than is possible with any available ramp
system. It is a relatively new type of stair-lift boarding device known as the Universal
Boarding Device or UBD.
We believe the stair-lift will deploy to planes even more quickly than the small ramp
which we now have on site. And we feel that the stair-lift allows more efficient
movement of passengers than any ramp system can provide.
We also believe that a larger ramp than the one we currently use will prove to be physically
unwieldy to deploy and retract, cumbersome for passengers to navigate and relatively
impractical in windy, rainy and mtense heat conditions.
We believe that the stair-lift combination will far surpass all other devices for ground
boarding passengers with disabilities in a manner which is both expeditious and
dignified.
As with ramps and all other ADA boarding devices, engineering limitations prevent a
single UBD from serving the full range of aircraft. Therefore we are requesting
authorization to use PFC funds to purchase two stair-lift devices (Lift-A-Loft Model 64
to serve smaller aircraft and Lift-A-Loft Model 94 to serve the larger aircraft) rather than
a second ramp.
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Currently, Lift-A-Loft Corp. is the only manufacturer of the combination stair-lift ADA
passenger boarding device. Being a sole source supplier, we will not have the option to
seek competitive bids.
The cost of a second ramp from Keith Consolidated Industries is quoted at $39,666
including shipping. The cost to purchase the two stair-lift boarding devices which would
serve the full range of aircraft is quoted at $51,753 plus shipping. I have solicited a
formal quotation from Lift-A-Loft to deliver and install two stair-lift devices along with
warrantee information, etc. which I will send to you at your request as soon as I receive
this information.
I am including with this letter the manufacturer's literature pertaining to their general line
of stair-lift apparatus. I will be happy to send technical specifications on the two
particular units we have selected when final determination is made to proceed with this
purchase.
In the meantime, I am requesting confirmation from your office that the FAA will allow
the purchase of two stair-lift devices as an alternative to om initial plan to purchase a
single (but larger) ramp to supplement the 21 ft. ramp we currently use for smaller
aircraft.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call me. Thank you for your
assistance.
cc: Larry Chalmers
Alan French
Memo To: Monroe County BOCC
From: Alan French, Mgr. Airport Planning & Development
Re: ADA PASSENGER BOARDING DEVICE
July 31,2006
These ADA passenger boarding devices are necessary to serve the needs of our regional jet
passengers. Ramp systems are best used for access to smaller jets only.
Combination stair/lift loading devices are more efficient for passenger movement. They are
able to provide more dignified and comfortable movement of passengers with disabilities while
simultaneously serving able-bodied travelers.
Lift-A-Loft is the only manufacturer of stair/lift combination boarding equipment. This is a
sole-source purchase.