Proposal:

Approve Issuance of RFPs for TCM Market-Based Incentive Programs and Student Education projects for the FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program

Synopsis:

The MSRC’s FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program includes a $2.5 million TCM element to solicit projects for bicycle, video conferencing, smart shuttles, intelligent transportation systems, market incentives and student education. A Program Opportunity Notice was released in early February to solicit pre-proposals for market-based incentive programs and student education projects. Based on the 61 pre-proposals received, the MSRC has decided to release two separate RFPs, providing funding to reduce mobile source emissions through: 1) student education projects that educate pre-driving youth about the social and environmental impacts of traffic congestion and unhealthful air quality; and 2) market-based incentive programs that utilize the market to reduce travel demand. The MSRC requests the Board’s approval to issue both RFPs.

Committee:

MSRC, April 24, 1997, Approved Unanimously

Recommended Action:

Approve issuance of the attached RFPs, #9697-49 for Market-Based Incentive Projects and #9697-50 for Student Education Projects, for the TCM Element in the FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program.

Mayor John Longville
Chair, MSRC

Background

In September 1990 Assembly Bill 2766 was signed into law (Health & Safety Code Sections 44220-44247) authorizing the imposition of an annual $4 motor vehicle registration fee to fund the implementation of programs exclusively to reduce air pollution from
mobile sources. AB 2766 provides that 30 percent of the annual $4 vehicle registration fee subvened to the AQMD be placed into an account to be allocated pursuant to a work program developed and adopted by the MSRC and approved by the AQMD Governing Board.

On April 11, 1997, the Governing Board approved in concept the two-year, $26 million FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, including a $2.5 million TCM element consisting of the following:

• Market Incentives - provides 50% co-funding for cost-effective, innovative solutions to reducing mobile source emissions through market-based incentive programs that utilize the market to reduce travel demand.

• Student Education - provides 75% co-funding for cost-effective, innovative solutions to reducing mobile source emissions through student education projects that educate pre-driving youth about the social and environmental impacts of traffic congestion and unhealthful air quality.

• Smart Shuttles - provides 25% co-funding for smart shuttle services and technology enhancements to existing transit services to establish non-fixed route services supporting fixed route transit and increase transit ridership.

• Bicycle - provides 50% co-funding for projects promoting bicycling as an alternative mode to driving alone, such as on-site bicycle facilities (e.g., showers, lockers), off-site bicycle facilities (e.g., bicycle lanes, paths, loop detectors), and other bicycle programs that reduce vehicle miles traveled.

• Video Conferencing - provides 50% co-funding for construction of video-conferencing facilities whereby vehicle miles traveled are reduced.

• Intelligent Transportation Systems - provides 25% co-funding for projects reducing mobile source emissions by increased transportation efficiency through information and technology enhancements, such as pavement-based or non-intrusive traffic detectors and traffic control/management projects.

In anticipation of the MSRC’s adoption of the FY 1997-99 Work Program, a Program Opportunity Notice was released in early February to solicit pre-proposals for market-based incentive programs and student education projects. The PON was issued to test the market for new and innovative ideas. Sixty-one proposals were received in related areas applying to both categories.

Proposals

Based on the PON response, the TCM Subcommittee developed two RFPs for consideration by the MSRC. On April 24, 1997, the MSRC reviewed and unanimously approved two RFPs as follows:

• RFP #9697-49 Market-Based Incentive Programs (Attachment 1): this RFP will solicit proposals for projects that cost-effectively demonstrate one or more of the following strategies with a one-year minimum demonstration period:
  
  
  • Location-efficient mortgage demonstration projects;
  • airport trip reduction/mobility enhancement demonstration projects (e.g., reducing passenger trips to/from airports or goods movement; not employee trip reduction)
  • HOT lane demonstration projects

  Proposals that: a) demonstrate a high potential for substantial increases in public transit use; and/or b) demonstrate a high potential for substantial reductions in SOV trips will be given higher priority.

• RFP #9697-50 Student Education Projects (Attachment 2): this RFP will solicit proposals that educate pre-driving youth in primary and secondary school grades about the social and environmental impacts of traffic congestion and unhealthful air quality through:
  
  
  • curriculum-based programs
  • stand-alone education programs (i.e., educational video);
  • mobile classrooms;
  • other innovative educational programs (i.e., speakers’ bureau).
  
  

  Such programs must creatively and effectively convey knowledge relative to:
  
  

  • the harmful effects of air pollution and its relationship to mobile source emissions;
  • alternative transportation options, including public transit and ridesharing;
  • emerging transportation technologies, including, but not limited to, clean fuels, telecommunications, etc.

Implementation must begin in the fall of 1998 and be conducted for one full school year. Participation of at least one school or district is mandatory.

On April 11, 1997, release of RFP #9697-47 for TCM Smart Shuttle Services/Transit System Enhancements was approved by the Board. At this time the MSRC is requesting the Governing Board’s approval to issue the above-mentioned RFPs as part of the FY 1997-99 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. This completes TCM elements for the first funding year in this Work Program. RFPs for the remaining three parts of the TCM element will be submitted to the Governing Board sometime in FY 1997-98.

A brochure announcing these TCM funding opportunities will be mailed to over 1,800 interested parties once Governing Board approval has been obtained. Subsequently, ads will appear in several newspapers, including several targeting minorities, throughout the Basin in conjunction with other AQMD contracting opportunities. To assist potential bidders in submitting qualified proposals, a Bidders’ Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 1997, to provide guidance on all MSRC funding opportunities available to date for the FY 1997-99 Work Program. Further assistance will be provided at a technical workshop on May 28, 1997. The submittal deadline for RFPs #9697-49 and #9697-50 is Tuesday, June 24, 1997, by 5:00 p.m.

Resource Impacts

Health & Safety Code Section 44243(2)(c) requires the AQMD to deposit the discretionary fund revenues "in an account to be used, pursuant to Section 44244, to provide grants to fund projects for the exclusive purpose of reducing air pollution from motor vehicles." Since the monies for these RFPs will be drawn from this special fund, there would be no fiscal impact on the AQMD’s operational budget.

Attachments

1 - TCM Market-Based Incentive Projects RFP #9697-49
2 - TCM Student Education Projects RFP #9697-50