South Coast Air Quality Management District

Amend Contract with R Systems, Inc. and Execute Contracts with Applied Knowledge, Inc. and Windsor Technologies, Inc. for Short- and Long-Term Systems Development and Support Services

SYNOPSIS:

The AQMD currently has contracts with two companies for short- and long-term systems development services. These contracts are periodically amended to add budgeted funds as additional needs are defined. With Board approval, $190,000 of previous fiscal year funds were encumbered to a previous contractor for work not yet begun. This contract has expired. Authorization is requested to re-appropriate this $190,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to start tasks not yet assigned. This action is also to amend the contract with R Systems, Inc. to add $230,500 for needed systems development work and to execute contracts with Applied Knowledge, Inc. and Windsor Technologies, Inc. to obtain systems development service on a task order basis.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, March 9, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Approve the appropriation of $190,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Information Management Services & Supplies Major Object Account for Professional and Specialized Services and authorize the Executive Officer to execute an amendment to the contract with R Systems, Inc. for systems development services, increasing the contract amount by $230,500.
   
   
2. Authorize the Executive Officer to execute contracts for systems development services with Applied Knowledge, Inc. in the amount of $75,000 and Windsor Technologies, Inc. in the amount of $75,000.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At the February 18, 2000 meeting, the Board approved new contracts with R Systems, Inc. and Sierra Cybernetics, Inc. for systems development services, with an option for two one-year extensions upon evidence of satisfactory work. These contracts were recently extended for one year. At the time these contracts were executed, it was expected that the contracts would be modified in the future to add funding from approved budgets as system development requirements were identified and sufficiently defined so that task orders could be prepared.

On October 20, 2000 the Board approved release of RFP 2001-15 for Systems Development and Support Services to secure a sufficient number of level-of-effort contracts to be in place for adequate task-order competition. Currently, we anticipate releasing task orders for routine system maintenance of functional systems, as well as enhancements to existing systems. Additional development efforts are also needed to enhance system functionality and to provide AQMD staff with additional automation for improving productivity. At the same time, Information Management is developing and/or acquiring systems capable of efficiently implementing new and evolving rules and programs such as Permit Streamlining, Title V Federal Permit Operating Program (Title V), and New Source Review (NSR).

There is currently $190,000 approved by the Board in the previous fiscal year that reverted back to the General Fund. However, the projects intended for funding still require completion. Staff is therefore requesting the re-appropriation of these funds to this fiscal year’s budget to complete the work.

Outreach

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

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

Copies of the RFP were mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various 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 District’s Bidder Hotline (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

One hundred, fourteen copies of the RFP were mailed out and 22 people representing 21 firms attended the bidders conference held on November 1, 2000. The RFP was subsequently extended and a second bidders conference held on December 6, 2000, which was attended by 20 people representing 15 firms. Six bids were received in response to the RFP when final bidding closed at 5:00 p.m. on January 17, 2001.

Attachment 1 reflects the evaluation of the bids and the respective rating/costs for vendors who submitted bids. Of the responsive bids, three were rated technically qualified to perform the work identified in the RFP and all bidders proposed comparable labor rates. The remaining bidders were either non-responsive or failed to achieve the minimum acceptable technical score. Staff recommends that the Board execute task order contracts (with the option to renew for two one-year periods) for systems development and support services with Applied Knowledge, Inc. and Windsor Technologies, Inc. This will enable the AQMD to have a pool of four well-qualified professional software development firms who have demonstrated their understanding of and expertise in system maintenance and development tasks.

Panel Composition

The panel consisted of an Information Technology Manager from the Metropolitan Water District, an Air Quality Engineer II from Planning and Rules and two Technology Implementation Managers from Information Management. Of these four panelists, two are female, two are male; two are Caucasians, one is Asian, and one is African American.

Resource Impacts

This item distributes $380,500 amongst three outsource software development companies (as described in Attachment B). Of this amount, $190,000 will be appropriated from the Undesignated Fund Balance and $190,500 is included in the approved FY 2000-01 Budget.

Attachments

1-Evaluation of Proposals for RFP #P2001-15
2-Task Order Summary

ATTACHMENT A

EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS FOR RFP #P2001-15

Note: Minimum acceptable Technical Score is 56 points

ATTACHMENT B

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