BOARD MEETING DATE: March 3, 2006
AGENDA NO. 8

Issue Purchase Orders for Purchase of Compressed Pure and Blended Gases and Cryogenic Liquids and Release RFQ

SYNPOSIS:

At its October 7, 2005 meeting, the Board approved the release of an RFQ to pre-qualify vendors of compressed pure and blended gases and cryogenic liquids. Several bids for compressed gases and cryogenic liquids were received and evaluated. This action is to issue purchase orders for the purchase of compressed gases and cryogenic liquids for the first half of CY 2006 and to release an RFQ to develop a pre-qualified vendor list to purchase gases and cryogenic liquids in FY 2006-07.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, February 10, 2006, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1.      Issue purchase orders with the vendors identified in Attachments 1 and 2 for the purchase of compressed pure gases and cryogenic liquids.

 

2.      Release RFQ #Q2006-06 (Attachment 3) to develop a pre-qualified vendor list to purchase gases and cryogenic liquids.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At its October 7, 2005 meeting, the Board released RFQ #Q2006-02 to competitively solicit bids for the purchase of compressed pure and blended gases and cryogenic liquids. The AQMD Laboratory uses compressed pure gases as carrier gases and purging agents, and cryogenic liquids are used to concentrate samples for gas chromatographic analysis for MATES III, PAMS, environmental justice, enforcement and other network samples. Blended gases are required for quality control and quality assurance of the gaseous samples received in the lab as well as at the air monitoring stations.

Proposal

Staff has reviewed the quotations for compressed pure and blended gases and cryogenic liquids received under RFQ#2006-02 and has prepared a recommended vendors list for the Board’s consideration to pre-qualify (Attachments 1 and 2). In addition, staff requests that the Board approve issuance of purchase orders for the purchase of compressed pure and blended gases and cryogenic liquids. Orders will be placed with the vendor having the best cost package quotation, while meeting the de-livery requirements specified in the RFQ. Purchase order amounts will be decided based upon the overall cost package submitted and the historical consumption of the various gases and cryogenic liquids. No individual purchase order will exceed $50,000. Staff anticipates that the total purchases for the remainder of the current fiscal year will not exceed $50,000. In addition, staff is requesting the Board to issue a RFQ for FY 2006-07. A copy of the RFQ is provided in Attachment 3. Staff will bring this item back to the Board in June 2006 prior to the new fiscal year.

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.

Bid Evaluations

The evaluation panel consists of four AQMD staff: a Principal Air Quality Chemist, a Senior Air Quality Chemist and two Air Quality Chemists.  The panel makeup relative to ethnicity and gender is as follows: two Caucasian, one Hispanic and one Caucasian/Asian/Pacific-Islander; two female and two male.  The evaluation process was conducted according to the criteria described in the RFQs.

Attachments 1and 2 reflect the price quotations and overall ranking of vendors from whom compressed pure and blended gases and cryogenic liquids will be purchased.

Resource Impacts

The term of the purchase orders is for the first half of calendar year 2006. The quotations will be valid until June 30, 2006. Staff estimates that $50,000 will be needed for the purchase of compressed pure gases and cryogenic liquids for the first half of calendar year 2006. Sufficient funds are available in the Science and Technology Advancement budget for the current fiscal year and FY 2006 - 07, upon approval by the Board.

Attachment(s) (EXE 418.5kb)

1.      Comparison of Compressed Pure Gas Vendors for the first half of calendar year 2006, RFQ #Q2006-02

2.      Comparison of Cryogenic Liquids Vendors for the first half of calendar year 2006, RFQ #Q2006-02

3.      Request for Quotation #Q2006-06

/ / /