South Coast Air Quality Management District

Establish List of Prequalified Providers of Employee Service and Retirement Awards

SYNOPSIS: 

On April 5, 2002, the Board approved the release of an RFQ to solicit bids from providers of employee service and retirement awards. This item is to establish a list of prequalified providers that will be used through June 30, 2004.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, June 14, 2002, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the three highest-rated vendors, as shown on Attachment A, as prequalified to provide employee service and retirement awards through June 30, 2004.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

AQMD honors employees for their service to the agency by providing service and retirement awards. Service awards are given in five-year increments, and retirement awards are given to those who retire after twenty or more years of service. On April 5, 2002, the Board approved the release of RFQ # 2002-05 to solicit bids from employee service and retirement award vendors for the purpose of prequalifying selected vendors for a two-year period.

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	11. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	21. Press Enterprise        (Riverside County)
2. Black Voice News	12. Korea Central Daily	22. Rafu Shimpo
3. California, State of, Contracts       Register	13. Los Angeles Daily News	23. San Bernardino Sun
4. Chicano, El	14. Los Angeles Sentinel	24. Signal, The       (includes Santa Clarita, Newhall,        and Saugus)
5. Chinese Daily News	15. Los Angeles Times	25. Voz, La, Publications
6. Desert Sun (Coachella Valley)	16. Opinion, La	26. Wave Community Newspapers       (includes Southwest Topics Wave,        Angeles Mesa Wave, & Central        News Wave)
7. Eastern Group Publications	17. Orange County Register
8. Excelsior, The	18. Philippine News
9. Informador, El	19. Precinct Reporter
10. Inland Empire Hispanic News	20. Prensa Hispana, La

Additionally, potential bidders were notified utilizing the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Firms, the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; and AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. 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, or http://www.aqmd.gov/busjob/ ] and AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

Twenty copies of the RFQ were mailed out, and seven qualified bids were received by the close of bidding at 1:00 p.m., May 7, 2002. Of the seven bids received, none was from a minority- or disabled veteran-owned company; one was from a woman-owned small business.

A panel of four AQMD employees, including a Community Relations Manager, a Human Resources Analyst, Supervising Air Quality Inspector, and a Principal Office Assistant evaluated the bids; two panel members were female and two were male; two were African American and two were Hispanic. Bids were evaluated according to criteria specified in the RFQ, which included a combination of reasonable prices, variety and quality of items offered, and a clear commitment to providing good customer service.

Proposal

Staff recommends the three highest-rated bidders, shown in bold type on Attachment A, be approved as prequalified to provide AQMD employee service and retirement awards through June 30, 2004.

Resource Impacts

Funds for employee service and retirement awards have been included in the FY 2002-03 Budget.

Attachments

Attachment A - Evaluation of Bids for RFQ #2002-05
 

ATTACHMENT A
EVALUATION OF BIDS FOR RFQ #2002-05
 

* Certified as small business; self certified as WBE

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