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PROPOSAL:

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

SYNOPSIS:

AQMD oversees the preparation of and approves health risk assessments (HRAs) submitted by facilities to characterize the potential risk their toxic emissions pose to surrounding communities, pursuant to AB 2588 (the California Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act of 1987). This action is to issue an RFP from which qualified contractors will be selected to assist AQMD in evaluating the remaining HRAs. A total of $500,000 is available in the AB 2588 Air Toxics Fund.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, April 17, 1998, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Issue the attached RFP for assistance in reviewing, modifying, or preparing the remaining Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act Health Risk Assessments at a cost not to exceed $500,000.

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.

Since 1991, AQMD has used contractors on a limited basis to assist in evaluating the modeling portion of HRAs. Staff has determined that a much larger review effort is necessary in order to expedite the completion of outstanding HRAs. In addition, the review and processing of these older HRAs requires more work to ensure current changes in the facility have been considered. To ensure timely, cost-effective completion of the remaining 160 HRAs, staff recommends the issuance of an RFP to solicit bids from multiple contractors for the following three tasks:

Task	Description	Type of bid to be solicited	Estimated time to complete*
1	HRA review	Fixed price*	1 week - 3 months
	(a) Data validation (b) HRA determination analysis
2	Review of facilities’ revised HRA from Task 1	Fixed price*	1 - 4 weeks
3	Preparation of modified or revised HRA	Fixed price*	1 - 3 weeks

*Depending on level of complexity of analysis. Projects with greater than 30 release points may be bid on a time and materials basis beyond the fixed price cap on a project-by-project basis.

Although preference will be given to contractors who bid on all three tasks, contractors may bid independently on any one or more tasks. For bidding purposes, HRAs will be divided into three levels of complexity (simple, intermediate, and complex).

At present, approximately 160 HRAs remain to be evaluated. This number is not expected to increase significantly in the future because new control measures and regulatory requirements will substantially reduce the numbers of new facilities required to go beyond the initial inventory stage. Nonetheless, there remains a requirement to review new facilities and monitor existing facilities’ emissions increases which would trigger the requirement for a risk assessment.

Given current staff levels, the evaluation and finalization of the remaining HRAs will take at least three years to complete without outside assistance. Contracting for such assistance is expected to be completed in the next twelve- to eighteen-month period.

Expedient completion of this phase of the program is fully consistent with the AQMD Governing Board’s environmental justice objectives, fulfillment of which depends largely on data gathered through the AB 2588 program.

Proposal
The purpose of this RFP is to competitively select one or more vendors to evaluate Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act Health Risk Assessments.

Outreach
In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids will be 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 will be 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 will be 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].

Bid Evaluation
Proposals received will be evaluated by a diverse panel of technically qualified individuals according to the scoring criteria described in attached RFP.

Resource Impacts
This RFP seeks one or more qualified vendors to work under individual contracts on specific tasks for which separate bids are sought as a function of the relative complexity of HRAs to be processed. Funds to support this effort will be drawn exclusively from the AB 2588 Air Toxics Fund in an amount not to exceed $500,000.

Attachments

RFP # 9798-41

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