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PROPOSAL:

Execute Contract to Review, Modify, or Prepare Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act Health Risk Assessments

SYNOPSIS:

On May 8, 1998, the Governing Board authorized the release of an RFP to review, modify, or prepare the remaining Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act Health Risk Assessments at a cost not to exceed $500,000. Based on the proposal review panel's recommendations, staff proposes authorizing execution of a contract to Applied Modeling, Inc. to review, modify, or prepare these HRAs at a cost not to exceed $400,000. This amount represents a savings of $100,000 over the original cost estimate. A total of $400,000 is available in the AB 2588 Air Toxics Fund for this purpose.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, June 19, 1998. Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item. Committee Members present communicated their concurrence.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract for assistance in reviewing, modifying, or preparing the remaining Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act Health Risk Assessments to Applied Modeling, Inc. at a total cost not to exceed $400,000.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Acting Executive Officer

Background

AB 2588 requires specified facilities to prepare an HRA to determine the potential risk posed to the exposed public by their toxic emissions. Seven years have elapsed since the first HRAs were prepared. Of the 330 HRAs received to date, 170 have been evaluated and finalized. During this same time period inventory data from approximately 3,000 other facilities have been processed and found to pose only low to moderate risk with no HRA required.

At present, approximately 160 HRAs remain to be evaluated. The review and processing of these older HRAs requires more work to ensure current changes in the facility have been considered. Given current staff levels, the evaluation and finalization of the remaining HRAs would take at least three years to complete without outside assistance. In addition, although new control measures and regulatory requirements will substantially reduce the numbers of new facilities required to go beyond the initial inventory stage, there remains a requirement to review new facilities and monitor existing facilities’ emissions increases which would trigger the requirement for a risk assessment.

Since 1991, AQMD has used contractors on a limited basis to assist in evaluating the modeling portion of HRAs. At the May 8, 1998 Board meeting the Governing Board authorized the release of RFP #9798-41 to solicit bids for assistance from multiple contractors in reviewing, modifying, or preparing the remaining HRAs over the next twelve- to eighteen-month period.

Fixed-price bids were requested for performance of any one or more of the following tasks as a function of the relative complexity of the HRA (simple, intermediate, and complex [ Relative c omplexity was defined by the number of release points and/or pollutants associated with each HRA. Projects with fewer than 30 release points were solicited on a fixed-price basis. Those exceeding 30 release points were solicited per project on a time and materials basis beyond the fixed price cap.] ):

Following the competitive review by a qualified evaluation panel of proposals received, staff recommends that the Board award a contract for the review, modification, or preparation of the remaining HRAs to Applied Modeling, Inc.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was published in the following publications:

1. Antelope Valley Press	9. Korea Central Daily	17. Palm Springs Desert Sun
2. Black Voice News	10. La Opinion	18. Philippine News
3. Chinese Daily News	11. La Voz	19. Precinct Reporter
4. Eastern Group Publications	12. Los Angeles Daily News	20. Rafu Shimpo
5. El Chicano	13. Los Angeles Sentinel	21. Riverside Press Enterprise
6. Excelsior, The	14. Los Angeles Times	22. San Bernardino Sun
7. Inland Empire Hispanic News	15. M/W/DVBE Source	23. Santa Clarita Signal
8. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	16. Orange County Register	24. State of California Contracts Register

Additionally, potential bidders were notified from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority and Cal Trans Directories of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises; the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors; and AQMD Purchasing’s mailing list. Copies of the RFP were mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations; and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business & Job Opportunities" icon] and AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line [(909) 396-2724]. A bidders’ conference was also held on May 26, 1998, which was attended by representatives from eighteen (18) firms.

Bid Evaluation

Twelve (12) proposals were received in response to the RFP by the submittal deadline of 1:00 p.m. on June 9, 1998. None were from disabled veteran-owned business enterprises.

Responsiveness to the RFP was judged by the apparent qualifications and experience of bidders to review, prepare, and/or modify HRAs, the technical/management approach proposed to undertake the tasks to be performed, and the ability to furnish information that was otherwise responsive to published specifications.

Four (4) proposals were initially excluded from consideration as unresponsive to the RFP because they failed to include bids for all levels of complexity or to fully specify the number of hours to be allocated to specific tasks. The remaining eight (8) proposals met minimum requirements for responsiveness and were evaluated for their ability to meet technical criteria. Of these, four (4) earned technical scores of 70 points or higher and were subsequently evaluated for cost.

Final scores were calculated as follows:

Technical points – 70 + Cost points + DVBE points + Local Business points = Final Score
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The distribution of scores is shown below:

The evaluation panel rated Applied Modeling, Inc. highest based on its ability to review, modify, or prepare the remaining HRAs in conformity with requirements stated in RFP #9798-41 at the lowest cost, and recommends that Applied Modeling, Inc. be awarded a contract not to exceed $400,000.

Panel Composition

Proposals were evaluated and scored by a five (5)-member evaluation panel, consisting of a Senior Project Manager from Parsons Engineering Science Inc., an Air Pollution Specialist from the California ARB, and three AQMD staff, including an Air Quality Engineer II and an Air Quality Specialist from Air Toxics and an Air Quality Specialist from Planning. Of these, four (4) panelists are male and one (1) is a female. Additionally, two (2) panelists are Asian/Pacific Islander, and three (3) are Caucasian.

Resource Impacts

A total amount not to exceed of $400,000 will be drawn exclusively from the AB 2588 Air Toxics Fund to fund Applied Modeling, Inc. to review, modify, or prepare the remaining HRAs as a function of their relative complexity.

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