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PROPOSAL: 

Award Contract for California Environmental Quality Act Analysis Assistance

SYNOPSIS: 

At its October 8, 1999 meeting, the Board approved the release of an RFP to secure assistance with preparing environmental analyses as required by CEQA. Nine proposals were received and reviewed by a qualified evaluation panel and it is recommended that the most qualified bidders be awarded time and materials contracts, divided between four consultants, for a total amount not to exceed $200,000.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, December 17, 1999, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Executive Officer to award contracts with Chambers Group for $25,000. Environmental Audit for $50,000, Environmental Compliance Solutions for $25,000, and ENSR for $50,000, for a total amount not to exceed $150,000 to assist in environmental analyses as required by CEQA and retain $50,000 in the FY 1999-00 CEQA Budget for future disbursement as the need arises.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The goal of the AQMD with regard to awarding this contract is to secure consultant services to augment and/or assist AQMD CEQA staff with preparing entire CEQA documents or portions of CEQA documents for AQMD and non-AQMD projects where the AQMD is the lead agency. Specifically, consultant services are necessary to: assist staff with preparation of CEQA documents to ensure they are completed according to established schedules; provide additional technical expertise in non-air quality environmental disciplines; and, in some cases, provide individuals to work onsite at the AQMD and under supervision of AQMD staff on an as-needed basis to expedite completion of a variety of projects, which may include a range of different types of CEQA documents or intergovernmental review activities pursuant to CEQA. Consultant services may also be necessary to augment staff resources with the periodic updates of the AQMD’s CEQA Air Quality Handbook and updates to the California Air Resources Board’s URBEMIS program on an as-needed basis.

Proposal

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP 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

In addition, the RFP was made available to various legislative caucuses, community groups, trade organizations, chambers of commerce and other interested parties at the time the Notice Inviting Bids/Proposals was submitted for publication. Potential bidders were also identified using the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises; the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business and Professional Directory; AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors; and AQMD Purchasing’s mailing list. Notices of the RFP were mailed to the African-American and Latino Legislative Caucuses, various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, and the CEQA section’s extensive list of CEQA consultants. The entire RFP was 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.

Nine proposals were received in response to the RFP. The proposals were reviewed and scored by a five-person (three female and two male) panel composed of a Program Supervisor in Transportation, a Planning Manager, a Senior Deputy District Counsel, and two Air Quality Specialists in Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources. The panel’s ethnicity consisted of three Caucasians and two Hispanics.

Four contractors were selected, based on evaluation of the technical and cost parts of their proposals. It should be noted that local firm points were not awarded because contracts are considered to be funded in part by EPA. Following are the scores for the nine proposers.

*Proposal did not meet technical requirements in first phase of scoring.

The selection criteria used to rank the proposals included: responsiveness to the RFP; technical merit/understanding of the CEQA process/past experience; project organization and management; qualifications, references, assigned personnel; cost and time effectiveness; and DVBE/small business designation. As shown by the total scores for each consultant, there was a natural break in scores between the top four ranking firms and the next highest ranking scores. Based on the natural break in total scores for each firm and on the funding earmarked for this program, staff recommends four companies be selected. Therefore, based on the RFP criteria, the top four scoring firms are recommended to the Board to be awarded contracts. Firms will remain qualified for a period of two years.

Staff recommends contract awards and amounts as follows:

Staff proposes that two of the four firms be awarded larger contract amounts, for the following reasons. The AQMD has already initiated discussions with the refineries located in the Basin regarding upcoming projects to phaseout methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from reformulated gasoline, as required by the Governor’s Executive Order, and modifications to produce gasoline that complies with CARB Phase 3 reformulated gasoline requirements. It is anticipated that these projects will be complex, potentially controversial, and may require extensive CEQA analyses. Both Environmental Audit, Inc., and ENSR have extensive experience with Basin Refinery projects, and within the last six years each consultant has prepared three comprehensive EIR’s and other CEQA documents for the AQMD for refinery projects. These firms have performed these projects in a professional and exemplary manner and it is anticipated that they will be invaluable in assisting the AQMD with the upcoming refinery projects. Given the critical nature of the deadline for the refineries to phase out MTBE, the familiarity and technical competency of Environment Audit and ENSR, and the fact that the other two firms do not have similar extensive experience with refinery related projects staff is recommending awarding Environmental Audit and ENSR larger contract amounts.

Also, the two firms that are suggested to be awarded $50,000 scored considerably higher in technical competency than any other firms. This was in part due to the wider breadth and depth of their personnel’s technical skills. Given the highly technical nature of rulemaking scheduled for next year, along with the refinery projects it is anticipated that these firms may be called upon more frequently to provide highly technical services. Fifty thousand will remain in the 1999-00 FY budget to augment any of the four contracts as the need arises. Also, funds may be budgeted for CEQA services in FY 2000-01 which can also be added to any of these contracts. The rank of the other two firms selected was determined in large part by their cost and not their technical skills.

Resource Impacts

A total of $200,000 has been budgeted in the Planning – CEQA section for 1999-00 FY and thus this action falls within the AQMD’s overall FY 1999-00 Budget.

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