REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 24, 2026
FROM
MARK MCCULLOUGH, Director, Fleet Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Purchase of Unbudgeted Fixed Assets
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the purchase of three Ford F350 Super Cab Animal Care trucks as fixed assets, priced at $149,000 each, which exceeds budgeted vehicle cost by more than 10%, pursuant to County Policy 11-04 SP2.
2. Approve the purchase of 23 unbudgeted vehicle fixed assets, pursuant to County Policy 11-04 and 11-04 SP2, including additional seven Ford F350 Super Cab Animal Care trucks priced at $149,000 each; eight Electric Vehicle Chevy Silverado Crew Extended Range LT trucks priced at $66,000 each; one Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab truck priced at $57,000; two Chevrolet Traverse SUVs priced at $60,000 each; and five Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 Crew Cab trucks priced at $57,000 each.
(Presenter: Mark McCullough, Director, 387-7870)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Fleet Management Department (Fleet) operates as an Internal Service Fund, with operational costs funded through Board of Supervisors-approved rates charged to customer departments. The estimated total cost of the requested vehicle purchases is approximately $2,480,000, which will be funded within Fleet’s FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget. No budget adjustment is required at this time; however, Board approval is necessary due to the unit cost exceeding the allowable 10% threshold and the total vehicle quantity exceeding the budgeted quantities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Fleet makes annual vehicle purchases based on departmental needs and replacement factors. All fixed assets including vehicles must be budgeted with both unit cost and quantity as part of the annual County budget submission. Board approval is required when vehicle purchases exceed allowable 10%-unit cost thresholds or budgeted quantities, pursuant to County Policy 11-04 and Standard Practice 11-04 SP2.
Fleet has a need to purchase three Ford F350 Super Cab Animal Care trucks at a unit cost of $149,000 each. The increased unit cost of the Ford F-350 Animal Care trucks reflects manufacturer price escalation, required upfitting specific to Animal Care operations, and market conditions affecting heavy-duty vehicle availability since the original budget adoption. These purchases exceed the approved unit cost by 29%, which is greater than the allowable 10% threshold.
Fleet purchases vehicles on behalf of County departments. Historically, Fleet has budgeted for vehicle replacements as a lump sum because the budget is submitted prior to completion of the annual vehicle bid process. At that time, final pricing from manufacturers and confirmed vehicle requests from departments are not yet available. As a result, this BAI reflects the updated quantities and specific vehicle costs associated with the annual vehicle replacement purchase for the Motor Pool Program.
In addition, to complete the annual vehicle buy, Fleet has a need to purchase 23 unbudgeted vehicle fixed assets, including additional seven Ford F350 Super Cab Animal Care trucks at $149,000 each; eight Electric Vehicle Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Extended Range LT trucks at $66,000 each; one Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab truck at $57,000; two Chevrolet Traverse SUVs at $60,000 each; and five Ford F350 Super Duty 4x4 Crew Cab trucks at $57,000 each.
Approval of the recommended actions will allow Fleet to proceed with necessary vehicle purchases to meet departmental operational needs and vehicle replacement requirements.
PROCUREMENT
Purchase of the equipment (vehicles) was in accordance with Policy 11-04 Procurement of Goods, Supplies, Equipment and Services. An invitation to bid (ITB) - VHS125-CFMAI-5954 was conducted in August 2025 to facilitate Fleet’s annual purchases of vehicles.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Purchasing (Lisa Zhu, Buyer III, 387-7892) on January 23, 2026; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 5, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Jenny Yang, Administrative Analyst, 387-4884) on February 5, 2026.