BOARD MEETING DATE: March 5, 2004
AGENDA NO. 10

Execute Contract to Purchase Two Carbon Analyzers and Reallocate Remaining Funds Under PM2.5 Program

SYNOPSIS:

On December 5, 2003, the Board recognized revenue from U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant funds for the PM2.5 Program, and approved release of an RFQ to purchase two carbon analyzers to augment PM2.5 speciation in preparation for the next State Implementation Plan planning cycle for PM2.5. This action is to issue a purchase order with Atmoslytic Inc. for an amount not to exceed $94,600, to purchase two carbon analyzers to support the PM2.5 program. Funds for the purchase of this capital outlay are available in the FY 2003-04 Budget for the PM2.5 program. In addition, staff is requesting that the remaining allocated funds of $25,400 be reallocated to the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2003-04 Budget, Services and Supplies Major Object, Laboratory Supplies account, to support the PM2.5 program. This reallocation was discussed with and accepted by U.S. EPA.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, February 13, 2004, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a contract with Atmoslytic Inc. for an amount not to exceed $94,600 for the purchase of two carbon analyzers including tax, shipping, setup and training.
    
2. Reallocate $25,400 funds from the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2003-04 Capital Outlay Budget, Item #19 to the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2003-04 Budget, Services and Supplies Major Object, Laboratory Supplies account.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

On December 5, 2003, the Board approved release of RFQ #Q2004-01 to competitively select a vendor from which to purchase two carbon analyzers to support the MATES III and PM2.5 programs. The carbon analyzers will be used to address an increased analytical workload for organic and elemental carbon (surrogate for diesel particulate matter) that is expected in concurrently conducting the MATES III and enhanced PM2.5 speciation monitoring in the Basin.

Proposal

The Board recognized revenue from U.S. EPA and appropriated $735,308 for the PM2.5 program to the FY 2003-04 Budget which included $120,000 for the purchase of two carbon analyzers. Staff has reviewed the recommendation from the evaluation panel and is requesting the Board’s approval to purchase the two carbon analyzers from Atmoslytic, Inc. at a cost not-to-exceed $94,600. In addition, staff is requesting the Board’s approval to redirect the remaining funds of $25,400 to the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2003-04 Budget, Services and Supplies Major Object, Laboratory Supplies account to support the PM2.5 program. This reallocation was discussed with and accepted by U.S. EPA.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFQ and inviting bids was 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 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

Five copies of RFQ #2004-01 were requested and mailed out. Three quotations were received (two from one company, Sunset Laboratory Inc.) when the bidding closed at 2:00 p.m. on January 6, 2004.

An evaluation panel was convened to evaluate the bids received from the respondents to the RFQ. The panel consisted of four AQMD staff – one Principal Air Quality Chemist, one Senior Air Quality Chemist, two Air Quality Chemists and one CARB staff – Chief Chemist, Monitoring and Laboratory Division. The panel makeup relative to ethnicity and gender is as follows: one African-American, three Caucasian, and one Hispanic; all male. The evaluation process was conducted according to the criteria described in the RFP.

The panel, based on its evaluation determined that two of the bids meet the basic specifications of the RFQ (i.e., the instrument, at a minimum, must meet the requirement for carbon analysis as stipulated in the IMPROVE the (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) and NIOSH 5040 (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health methods). Atmoslytic Inc. meets this requirement for the lowest cost. Sunset Laboratory Inc. met the requirement with a bid 13% higher than Atmoslytic Inc.

Attachment 1 summarizes the evaluation of the bids. Sunset Laboratory Inc. replied with two bids. One instrument, labeled Bid A in Attachment 1, is a single optics instrument capable of only performing the NIOSH 5040 method of carbon analysis and does not meet the minimum specifications of the RFQ as determined by the evaluation panel. The second instrument, labeled Bid B in Attachment 1, is a dual optics instrument capable of performing both the NIOSH 5040 and IMPROVE method of carbon analysis and does meet the minimum requirements of the RFQ. The bid by Atmoslytics Inc. meets the requirement of the RFQ.

Sunset Laboratory Inc. meets the AQMD’s definition of a "small business". Atmoslytics Inc. meets the AQMD definition of a "small business" and "minority/woman owned business".

The lowest cost, qualified bid is from Atmoslytic Inc. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a contract with Atmoslytic Inc. for an amount not to exceed $94,600 for the purchase of two DRI Model 2001 Thermal/Optical Carbon Analyzers. Since the amount of the bid is considerably less than was expected, staff is requesting that the remaining funds of $25,400 be allocated to Science and Technology Advancement FY 2003-04 Budget, Services and Supplies Major Object, Laboratory Supplies account.

Resource Impacts

Funds for this purchase are provided under the U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant fund for the PM2.5 program as recognized and appropriated by the Board on December 5, 2003.

Attachment

Evaluation of Bids to RFQ #Q2004-01

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