South Coast Air Quality Management District

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Execute Contract for Coordinator of International Conference on Air Quality Technology and Education to Implement Board Initiative from the Millennium Board Retreat

SYNOPSIS: 

On September 15, 2000, the Board approved the release of an RFP for consultant services to coordinate a two-day International Conference on Air Quality Technology and Education to be held in the Southland by the fall of 2001. Six proposals were received in response to the September 15 RFP, and Cerrell Associates, Inc. is recommended to receive the award. Staff proposes executing a contract with Cerrell Associates Inc. for $75,000. This will include funding available from the Clean Fuels Program ($15,787) and Fuel Cells Conference ($59,213) Special Revenue Funds.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, October 13, 2000, Recommend for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman of the Board to execute a contract with Cerrell Associates, Inc. to plan and present an International Conference on Air Quality Technology and Education for an amount not to exceed $75,000.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

In March of this year, the Governing Board adopted several Millennium Goals resulting from the Board’s retreat in December of 1999. One of those suggested by Chairman Burke was to host an international conference on technology and air pollution controls to assist in the education and widespread commercialization of these technologies. On July 14, 2000, an RFP was released and no firm was recommended to receive this contract. On September 15, 2000, the Board approved the issuance of a revised RFP to seek additional proposals from interested consultants, and to provide additional flexibility in funding, which action has resulted in this recommendation.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD's consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting proposals 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.	The Excelsior	15.	M/W/DVBE Source	24.	State of California
7.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	16.	Orange County Register		Contracts Register
8.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	17.	Palm Springs Desert Sun	25.	LA Daily Journal
9.	Korea Central Daily	18.	Philippine News

Additionally, potential bidders were identified using Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises; the Inland Empire Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors; and AQMD Purchasing’s mailing list. RFP notices were mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce, and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business and Job Opportunities" icon]; and on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

Forty copies of RFP #P2001-18 were mailed out. Six proposals were received when the bidding closed at 5 p.m. on September 29, 2000. The bids were reviewed by an ethnically and gender-diverse panel of five (5) AQMD employees; two Deputy Executive Officers, one Community Relations Manager, and two Senior Public Information Specialists; one Asian, two Caucasian; two Hispanics; two females, and three males.

The panel scored the proposals according to criteria as outlined in the RFP, with superior weight given to proposals which offer the highest potential for the AQMD to recover its upfront costs associated with conference planning and from conference generated revenues. Significant weight was also given to a firm’s experience and qualifications conducting international conferences, with lesser weight for the technical/management approach. Attachment A reflects the listing of all six proposals, which are ranked in order by score.

Resource Impacts

Funding for these services is available from the Clean Fuels Program Specials Revenue Fund ($15,787) and the Fuel Cell Conference Special Revenue Fund ($59,213).

Attachment

Attachment A – Evaluation of Proposals for RFP #2001-18

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