South Coast Air Quality Management District

Execute Contracts for Community Outreach Program Assistance

SYNOPSIS: 

On April 20, 2001, the Board approved the release of an RFP for Community Outreach Program Assistance to help AQMD with identifying and addressing neighborhood air quality issues in the African-American, Hispanic, and Asian communities. This RFP was re-released on June 22, 2001 to encourage wider participation. Twenty-three proposals were received in response to the RFP, and those proposals were narrowed down by a panel to a short list of firms. A Special Meeting of the Administrative Committee interviewed representatives from these firms on August 16, 2001, made a selection, and recommended executing contract(s) with the selected firms(s) for an amount not to exceed $1.5 million for a two-year period.

COMMITTEE: 

Special Administrative Meeting, August 16, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Transfer $1,500,000 from the AES Settlement Projects Fund to the FY 2001-02 Budget, Professional and Special Services Account in Public Affairs;
   
   
2. Authorize the Chairman of the Board to execute contract(s) with the following firms in amounts not to exceed: Strategy Workshops, Inc. and Imada Wong $500,000 combined; Oralia Michel $500,000; and RCA Associates $500,000 for Community Outreach Program Assistance for a two-year period.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At its March 16, 2001, meeting, the Governing Board approved allocation of $1.5 million for enhanced education and outreach to African-American, Hispanic, and Asian communities in the South Coast. The allocation was part of the Board’s overall expenditure plan for one-time revenue of $17 million from the AES Alamitos, LLC, settlement agreement reached in December, 2000. The settlement included a civil penalty for significant air quality violations.

On April 13, 2001, the Administrative Committee recommended the release of an RFP for Community Outreach Program Assistance to help AQMD with identifying and addressing neighborhood air quality issues in the African-American, Hispanic, and Asian communities. On April 20, 2001, the Board approved this recommendation. This RFP was re-released on June 22, 2001 to encourage wider participation and twenty-three proposals were received in response. A bidders conference was held on July 10, 2001. A panel narrowed the selection to eight firms. The Administrative Committee interviewed representatives from these firms at a special meeting on August 16, 2001, and recommended executing contracts with four of these firms for an amount not to exceed $1.5 million for a two-year period.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was placed 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 Register
7.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	16.	Orange County Register
8.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	17.	Palm Springs Desert Sun
9.	Korea Central Daily	18.	Philippine News

Additionally, potential bidders were notified utilizing 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. Notice of the RFP was 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 bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

Twenty-three proposals were received when the bidding closed at 5:00 p.m. on July 24, 2001. The bids were reviewed by an ethnically and gender-diverse panel of four individuals. Three of the panel members are AQMD employees: two Assistant Deputy Executive Officers and one Public Information Specialist; the fourth panel member is a member of the Ethnic Community Advisory Group (one African-American, two Asian and one Hispanic; three males and one female). The panel scored the proposals according to criteria outlined in the RFP and internal staff then conducted initial oral interviews of the eleven highest-ranking proposers who placed above a natural break. A list of the eight highest-ranking proposers was then forwarded to the Administrative Committee for review. The Administrative Committee interviewed representatives from these firms and is recommending award of contract(s) in amounts not to exceed the following amounts: Strategy Workshops, Inc. and Imada Wong $500,000 combined; Oralia Michel $500,000; and RCA Associates $500,000 and is forwarding this recommendation to the full Board for its consideration. The Administrative Committee believed that selecting the two firms of Strategy Workshops, Inc. and Imada Wong for the Asian community will provide the best value for the District.

Attachment A lists the top eight proposals, in alphabetical order ranked by the panel. Attachment B contains the approved FY2001-02 Budget Goals/Objectives targeted by this contract effort.

Proposal

AQMD staff proposes a two-step process be followed for this contract effort, similar to the manner of past Information Management contracts. First, through this agenda item, the Board will approve execution of initial level-of-effort contracts with selected consulting teams for a two-year period. Second, the Administrative Committee, the Ethnic Community Advisory Group, and AQMD staff will work together to develop detailed statements of work for specific task orders, which will then be brought back to the full Board for funding approval. At any time during the two-year period, the Board will have the ability to modify or terminate contracted efforts based on performance results. This two-step process will enable the AQMD to draw from a pool of well-qualified firms in a timely, flexible, and controlled manner, with ongoing Board oversight.

Resource Impacts

Funding for these services will be appropriated from the AES Settlement Project Fund.

Attachment

Attachment A -	Evaluation of Top Eight Proposals for Administrative Committee Review for RFP #2001-39R – Community Outreach Program Assistance
Attachment B -	Specific FY 2000-2001 Budget Goals/Objectives Targeted Under RFP #P2001-39

EVALUATION OF TOP EIGHT PROPOSALS
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE REVIEW
FOR RFP #2001-39R*
 

ATTACHMENT B

Specific FY 2001-02 Budget Goals/Objectives
Targeted Under RFP #P2001-39
 

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