HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-04-19 STAFF REPORTS 2G ALMS4
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CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 19, 2006 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: APPROVE PURCHASE OF BANQUET CHAIRS FOR CONVENTION
CENTER
FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager
BY: Convention Center Project Administrator
SUMMARY
A portion of the funding for the Convention Center expansion was set aside for the
purchase of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E). Staff of SMG has identified the
purchase of banquet chairs as the highest priority for the balance of funds so
designated. This recommended action would approve the purchase of 3000 chairs for
use in operations at the Convention Center.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Minute Order No. , approving the cooperative purchase of 3000 banquet
chairs for the Convention Center in the amount of $207,801 from MityLite, Inc. via the
State of Utah contract.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff is requesting approval of the purchase of 3,000 banquet chairs for use at the Palm
Springs Convention Center.
Currently the Palm Springs Convention Center maintains an inventory of approximately
3,500 chairs. The majority of these chairs are nearly 20 years old. SMG staff
recommends, and City staff concurs, that the current chairs be phased out.
There are three primary reasons for the need to purchase new banquet chairs: to
increase chair inventory; to update chair appearance to match new building colors and
to replace damaged chairs. Currently the number of chairs available does not meet the
Item No. 2. n .
City Council Staff Report
April 19, 2006 -- Page 2
Purchase of Banquet Chairs for Convention Center
needs of a number of groups utilizing the center. In these instances additional chairs
must be rented from outside sources at significant cost. This can be an important issue
for a group choosing to utilize the center. Certain groups have seating requirements for
6,000 to 7,000 people distributed throughout the facility. The current inventory is not
sufficient to meet these needs which are appropriate to the increased size of the center.
Secondly, the appearance of the current chairs is consistent with items used
consistently for nearly 20 years. Aside from the normal wear and tear that comes from
18 years of high traffic use, the chair fabric was selected to match the building's 1988
color scheme. The new building design and color scheme calls for chairs with a
completely different color palette to complete the environment intended by the design.
This factor, in addition to the wear on the chairs, is an ongoing aesthetic concern.
Lastly, much of the existing equipment is in need of repair. Hardware linking individual
seats together in rows is required by fire regulations. After many years of use this
hardware on many of the chairs has become damaged and is in need of either repair or
replacement. Additionally, much of the current inventory requires new seat pads, new
upholstery on the seats and backs, and replacement of foot pads. SMG staff
investigated the cost of refurbishing the current chairs, and found that the cost
differential between refurbishing the old and purchasing new was only $8 per chair.
The recommended action would increase the overall chair inventory at the center, allow
the removal from service of chair distressed by long years of service, and provide a new
inventory of chairs that complement the new design.
For the foregoing reasons, both SMG and City staff recommend approval of this
purchase of banquet chairs for use at the convention center. It should be noted that
SMG staff believes additional chairs should be purchased over the course of the next
few years, both to increase the overall inventory at the center to a number more in line
with the capacity of the newly expanded center and to allow the removal from service of
all of the original banquet chairs.
The Procurement and Contracting Manager, pursuant to the requirements of Section
7.09.010 of the Municipal Code, finds that the contacting process conducted by the
State of Utah for banquet chairs is adequate to protect the public interest, and that the
total cost of the chairs is likely to be less than could be obtained through an
independent City competitive process.
City Council Staff Report
April 19, 2006 -- Page 3
Purchase of Banquet Chairs for Convention Center
FISCAL IMPACT: Finance Director Review:
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Funds are available for this purchase in the following accounts:
Convention Center FF&E 4283-50003 $200,070
2080-43240 $ 7,731
This expenditure will exhaust the FF&E funds in the bond-supported Convention Center
expansion project budget.
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Al Smoot, TVa Butzl
Convention Center Project Administrator Ant Cit%Mger
David H. Ready, City-Manager
Attachments: Minute Order