BOARD MEETING DATE: June 4, 2004
AGENDA NO. 14

Execute Contract for Occupational Health Services

SYNOPSIS:

The current contract for occupational health services expires on June 30, 2004. On February 6, 2004, the Board approved release of an RFP to solicit proposals from firms interested in providing these services for the next three-year period. This action is to execute a contract with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of California, Irvine, through June 30, 2007, for an amount not to exceed $10,000 per year. Funding for this contract has been included in the FY 2004-05 Budget request and will be requested in successive fiscal years.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, May 14, 2004, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a three-year contract for the period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2007, with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of California, Irvine, to perform occupational health services in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for each of the three years.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

AQMD currently contracts with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of California, Irvine, to provide occupational health services. These services include annual examinations of employees performing facility inspections or emissions testing of air contaminants at locations necessitating the use of respiratory protection equipment. Approximately 50 AQMD employees are assigned duties that occasionally require them to wear such respiratory protection. Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 5144, enforced by the California Department of Industrial Relations (Cal/OSHA) requires each employee assigned to wear respiratory protection to be medically evaluated by a licensed physician prior to being assigned to wear a respirator and annually thereafter.

AQMD employees may also be assigned duties at hazardous waste sites; hazardous substance removal or clean-up operations; and treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities that may potentially expose them to harmful substances. AQMD’s emergency response team, composed of inspectors, chemists, and technicians, responds to airborne hazardous materials releases to provide technical support to local fire protection agencies in identifying the nature, concentration, and affected area of releases. Employees performing emergency response activities or duties at hazardous waste sites are covered by the requirements contained in Title 8, CCR Section 5192, for establishing medical surveillance programs. This regulation requires medical surveillance examinations at least annually for employees exposed to hazardous substances at or over permissible exposure limits (PELs), who wear respirators for 30 or more days per year or are members of HAZMAT teams, or who develop signs or symptoms of possible overexposure involving hazardous substances.

The current contract expires June 30, 2004. On February 6, 2004, the Board approved release of RFP #P2004-19 to solicit proposals from occupational health service providers.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP/RFQ and inviting bids will be published in the following publications:
 

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

Additionally, potential bidders will be 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/RFQ will be 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 where it can be viewed by making menu selections "Inside AQMD"/"Employment and Business Opportunties"/"Business Opportunities" or by going directly to http://www.aqmd.gov/rfp/index.html). Information is also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

A total of 18 RFPs were sent to occupational health service providers. Three proposals were received by the deadline for submittal at 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2004. The panel scored proposals based on criteria set forth in the RFP, primarily, firms’ responsiveness to the RFP and their demonstrated experience performing occupational health examinations for other public or private employers.

A panel of three AQMD employees, including the Risk Manager, Health Effects Officer, and a Supervising Air Quality Inspector, along with a Senior Loss Control Specialist for a private third-party claims administrator, reviewed the proposals. The panel breakout was: one African-American, two Caucasian, and one Hispanic; one female and three male.

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) at the University of California, Irvine, received the highest rating. Their proposal demonstrated superior experience and expertise in occupational health services, particularly for other public entities, including the Department of Industrial Relations (Cal/OSHA). COEH also has satisfactory resources and depth of experience in workplace monitoring to assist AQMD towards protecting its employees from potential exposure to harmful substances.

The attachment provides the panel’s ratings.

Proposal

This action is to authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of California, Irvine, for the period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2007, to provide occupational health services. Funds for occupational health services are included in AQMD’s budget each fiscal year under the Administrative and Human Resources – Professional and Specialized Services account.

Resource Impacts

Funding in an amount not to exceed $10,000 per year will be requested in each of the three budget years.

Attachment

Evaluation of Proposals for RFP #P2004-19

ATTACHMENT

EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

RFP #P2004-19 - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
 

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