BOARD MEETING DATE: March 3, 2006
AGENDA NO. 3

Issue Level of Effort RFP for Technical Assistance in Goods Movement and Fuel Ethanol and Administrative Assistance in Organizing Air Quality Related Conferences

SYNPOSIS:

The RFP will solicit statements of qualifications from individuals and organizations potentially capable of providing: (1) expert technical consultation in goods movement and fuel ethanol to support AQMD technology advancement activities, and (2) assistance in organizing conferences related to port emission controls and health effects of air pollution. It is anticipated that multiple awards of Level of Effort contracts will be made from this solicitation. Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund to support this work in an amount not to exceed $525,000.

COMMITTEE:

No action on RFP; Contractor selection to be reviewed by Technology Committee and Governing Board.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Approve the release of the attached Request for Proposals #P2006-17 for technical assistance and organizational support in areas of goods movement, fuel ethanol, and air quality-related conferences in an amount not to exceed $525,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund (Fund 31).

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Because of the significant growth in regional goods movement, and the projected growth in the introduction of fuel ethanol in our transportation fuel usage, AQMD staff believes that the emissions and air quality impacts from these two activities are very significant and need to be addressed expeditiously. In addition, multiple efforts related to these topics are currently underway at the State and local levels that require timely AQMD input. It is essential for the AQMD to have additional technical expertise to address the air quality impacts and potential mitigations related to thee two issues.

AQMD hosted a successful Asthma Conference on February 17, 2006. Feedback gathered from the conference attendees indicated a strong desire to have a follow-up conference on an international scale to gather additional scientific information and engage in further policy discussions on this subject. The Chairman’s Clean Port Initiative calls for the AQMD to host an international port conference to organize ports along the Pacific Rim in a joint effort to reduce emissions from ocean-going ships as well as in-port emissions. AQMD staff recommends soliciting assistance to organize these two international conferences.

Request for Proposals

The RFP #P2006-17 will solicit level-of-effort expertise in three areas, as follows:

• Technical consultation services related to air quality impacts of regional goods movement and technology evaluation of potential mitigation;
• Technical consultation services related to the air quality impact of fuel ethanol usage; and
• Administrative assistance services related to the organization of international conferences on asthma and port emission controls.

Bid Evaluation

Consultants will be selected through an open bidding process according to AQMD's Consultant Selection Policy and Proposals, including Board approval of contractors. Successful bidders shall be retained by level-of-effort contracts; therefore, work assignments can be issued for specific needs and projects without requiring lengthy consultant selection processes for each individual project. It is anticipated that multiple awards for level-of-effort contracts will be made from this solicitation. The Request for Proposals will be circulated for 21 days.

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 Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Bernardino Sun, and Riverside County Press Enterprise newspapers to leverage the most cost-effective method of outreach to the entire South Coast Basin.

Additionally, potential bidders may 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 Opportunities”/“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.

Benefits to AQMD

The proposed projects support the technical assessment of the air quality impacts of goods movement and fuel ethanol introduction while promoting emissions reductions at the ports and from on-road gasoline vehicles. The conferences provide a venue for further enhancing the perception, understanding, and communication of the health effects of air pollution and development of recommended AQMD activities and policies. In addition, outside expertise will provide an effective means for evaluating new control technology.

Resource Impacts

The total amount of AQMD funding for the level-of-effort contracts will not exceed $525,000. Of the $525,000, anticipated amounts for each area of assistance are:

• $250,000 for technical consultation related to the impact of goods movement;
• $150,000 for technical consultation related to the impact of fuel ethanol introduction; and
• $125,000 for assistance in conference organization.

Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources and stationary sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to motor vehicles that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.

Attachment (DOC 1.0mb)
RFP #P2006-17 - Technical Assistance in Goods Movement and Fuel Ethanol and
     Administrative Assistance in Organizing Air Quality Related Conferences

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