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PROPOSAL: 

Execute Contract to Purchase Telecommunication Services

SYNOPSIS: 

On June 11, 1999, AQMD released an RFP to select a vendor(s) capable of providing telecommunication services to the District in the most cost-effective manner, and if possible, to consolidate all telephone company-related services to a single telecommunications provider. Telecommunications services solicited include local, long distance, and toll-free services; leased circuits; ISDN Pri T1 lines; cellular phones, calling cards; internet access; enhanced billing and reporting; and phone switch maintenance. This action is to issue three-year purchase orders to GTE California Incorporated and AT&T to provide telecommunication services to the AQMD for a total amount of $756,400. Funds for this purchase are included in the FY 1999-00 Budget.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, October 15, 1999, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the purchase of telecommunication services required by the AQMD from GTE California Incorporated and AT&T, for a three-year period in the amount of $756,400 for FY 1999-00.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

RFP #9899-38 was released on June 11, 1999 to solicit and identify vendors capable of providing high quality and reliable telecommunication services to the District, and if possible, to consolidate all telephone company-related services to a single telecommunication provider. The overall goal is to reduce current expenses for voice and data communication services, optimize the use of AQMD's current voice communication network, and provide AQMD with the necessary flexibility to take full advantage of new telecommunications technologies as they evolve.

A service agreement for a term of three years will be purchased.

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

Additionally, potential bidders were identified using the Los Angeles County MTA, 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. Notices of the RFP/RFQ 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 and Job Opportunities" icon] and AQMD’s 24-hour telephone message line for bidders (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

Sixty-five copies of the RFP were mailed out and thirteen vendors attended the mandatory bidders conference held on June 30, 1999. Six responses, including one "No Bid," were received in response to the RFP when final bidding closed at 1:00 p.m. on August 13, 1999. Of the five bids, none were from disabled veteran-owned, women-owned, certified minority-owned, or non-certified minority-owned business enterprises.

Attachments 1-A to 1-G reflect the evaluation of the proposals and the respective ratings for the contract. The evaluation committee rated GTE California Incorporated and AT&T the highest for the required services. Therefore, staff recommends GTE for the purchase of telephone services (local and long distance), toll free services, leased circuits (telemetry network), calling cards, internet access, and telephone switch maintenance; and AT&T for the purchase of cellular telephone services. The recommended contracts provide the least cost option for AQMD.

Panel Composition

The panel consisted of a contractor from APR Consulting and five staff from Information Management: a Telecommunications Supervisor, a Telecommunications Analyst, two Telecommunications Technicians II, and one Supervising Office Assistant. Of these six panelists, one is female and five are male; one is African American, one is Asian-Indian, three are Asian-Pacific Islander, and one is Caucasian.

Resource Impacts

This purchase is funded from the Communications Account, in the FY 1999-00 Budget. Funding for subsequent years will be budgeted appropriately.

Attachment(s)

Attachment 1 - Summary of Evaluation of Respondents to RFP #9899-38

1-A: Telephone Services (Local and Long Distance)
1-B: Toll Free Services
1-C: Leased Circuits (Telemetry)
1-D: Calling Cards
1-E: Internet Access
1-F: Phone Switch Maintenance
1-G: Cellular Telephone Services

Attachment 1

Five proposals were received in response to this RFP; (two proposals were combined due to company merger, and listed as ATT). They were from AT&T/SCOTTEL Voice and Data (ATT), Focal Communications Corporation of Los Angeles (FCC), GTE Network Services (GTE), and Sprint (SPT).

1-A: Telephone Services (Local and Long Distance)

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	25	40	47.5	25

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)		$7,360	$5,737
Panel Average	0	39	50	0

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	25	79	97.5	25

1-B: Toll Free Services

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	33	40	45	40

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	No Bid	$3,670	$3,198	$3,259
Panel Average	0	44	50	49

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	33	84	95	89

1-C: Leased Circuits (Telemetry Network)

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	No Bid	No Bid	45	No Bid

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	$0	$0	$2,468	$0
Panel Average	0	0	50	0

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	0	0	95	0

1-D: Calling Cards

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	37.5	40	45	35

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	$2.47	$3.30	$1.71	$1.95
Panel Average	35	26	50	44

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	72.5	66	95	79

1-E: Internet Access

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	No Bid	No Bid	45	35

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	$0	$0	$1,100	$1,825
Panel Average	0	0	50	30

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	0	0	95	65

1-F: Telephone Switch Maintenance

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	40	No Bid	45	No Bid

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	$28,570	$0	$20,850	$0
Panel Average	36	0	50	0

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria		Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	76	0	95	0

1-G: Cellular Telephone Services

Standard Services Criteria (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Standard Services	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
Panel Average	25	0	0	25

Cost (50 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
- Cost	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
(Actual $ Amount)	$543*	$0	$0	$588
Panel Average	50	0	0	46

Additional Points (15 points maximum)

Criteria	Proposer
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
- Small Business/Small Business Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- DVBE or DVBE Joint Ventures (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
- Use of DVBE or Small Business Subcontractors (10 point maximum)	0	0	0	0
Panel Average	0	0	0	0
	ATT	FCC	GTE	SPT
TOTAL POINTS	75	0	0	71

* Note: The AT&T cellular phone rate is based on the District’s ability to piggy-back on the L.A. County’s contract agreement (Corporate ID #8915) with AT&T. This is currently in effect and no change would be necessary.

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