BOARD MEETING DATE: April 6, 2007
AGENDA NO. 17

PROPOSAL:

Approve Sole-Source Contract and Issue RFP under FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program

SYNOPSIS:

The MSRC allocated $1 million to implement a 511 Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign under the FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. On March 15, 2007, the MSRC unanimously awarded a sole-source contract to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to implement this campaign. MSRC funding will be used solely for media placement and surveys. Concurrently, the MSRC unanimously approved release of an RFP to solicit proposals for Programmatic Outreach Services for FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09. For the last several years the MSRC has retained a consultant to provide programmatic outreach services. The current consultant contract expires October 2, 2007. The MSRC seeks AQMD Board approval to issue the sole-source contract and release the RFP under the FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program.

COMMITTEE:

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review, March 15, 2007, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Approve sole-source award to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the amount of $1 million to implement “511” Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign under FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, as described in this letter and in the attached;
2. Approve the issuance of an RFP (#2007-28) for Programmatic Outreach Services for FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09, as described in this letter and in the attached;
3. Authorize MSRC the authority to adjust contract awards up to five percent, as necessary; and
4. Authorize the Chairman of the Board to execute the sole-source contract under FY 2006-07 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Programs, as described above and within this letter.

Ron Roberts
Vice Chair, MSRC

Background

In September 1990 Assembly Bill 2766 was signed into law (Health & Safety Code Sections 44220-44247) authorizing the imposition of an annual $4 motor vehicle registration fee to fund the implementation of programs exclusively to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles. AB 2766 provides that 30 percent of the annual $4 vehicle registration fee subvened to the AQMD be placed into an account to be allocated pursuant to a work program developed and adopted by the MSRC and approved by the AQMD Governing Board.  

The Federal Department of Transportation plans for a nationwide 511 network to be completed by the year 2010. To prepare South Coast commuters for the launch of the 511 network, the MSRC’s FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program included a set aside of $1 million to implement a 511 Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign. The MSRC’s 511 Program will focus on educating the commuting public regarding the availability of 511 and the services offered. At its March  15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC considered its Technical Advisory Committee’s recommendation to issue an award to implement this Program. Further details are described below in the Proposals section.

For the last several years the MSRC has retained a consultant to provide programmatic outreach services. The current consultant contract expires October 2, 2007. At its March  15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC also considered a new RFP to solicit proposals for Programmatic Outreach Services for FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09. Further details are described below in the Proposals section.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP 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 AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors.  Notice of the RFP will be mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, the State of California Contracts Register website, 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.

The RFP will also be placed at http://www.cleantransportationfunding.org/, the MSRC's website, and a targeted mailing of related consultant companies will be conducted.

Bidders’ Conference

A Bidders’ Conference is not scheduled for the Programmatic Outreach Services RFP. However, interviews of top scoring eligible bidders will be conducted in early June.

Proposal Evaluation and Panel Composition

Proposals received for the Programmatic Outreach Services RFP will be evaluated by members of the MSRC-TAC, which consists of a diverse group of individuals appointed by participating members as prescribed in the Health & Safety Code.

Proposals

At its March 15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC considered two recommendations from its Technical Advisory Committee and took unanimous action as detailed further below.

As mentioned in the Background section, as part of its FY 2006-07 Phase II Work Program, the MSRC set aside $1 million to implement a 511 Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign. This is the final element under the FY 2006-07 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. This new 511 telephone service is to access a host of commuter-related services, including but not limited to freeway drive time estimates, mass transit information, and roadside assistance. The service will initially be available in Los Angeles County and subsequently expanded to the other South Coast counties. At its March 15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously awarded a sole-source contract to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to implement this campaign. MSRC funding will be used solely for media placement and before and after surveys, and will be modeled after the MSRC’s highly successful “Pick-A-Day, Any Day” rideshare campaign. Metro has significant ad buying power and in-house creative resources which will achieve greater leveraging of the MSRC’s funding. Attached is the staff memo “MSRC Agenda Item No. 12,” which was prepared for and approved by the MSRC at its March 15, 2007 meeting, providing additional information on the 511 program and its implementation.

As also mentioned in the Background section, for the last several years the MSRC has retained a consultant to provide programmatic outreach services. The current consultant contract expires October 2, 2007. At its March 15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved release of a new RFP to solicit proposals for Programmatic Outreach Services for FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09. The RFP will provide for an option clause to allow the MSRC to exercise a contract extension for one additional two-year term for the chosen consultant, as prior RFPs and consultant contracts have done. Any additional funding to accompany the option for additional time will be brought forward to the MSRC and AQMD Board for consideration. The target funding for this RFP is $100,000 under the FY 2006-07 Work Program. The RFP proposal period commences April 6, 2007 and closes May  15, 2007. It is anticipated the MSRC will consider an award at its July 19, 2007 meeting, and the AQMD Board at its August 3, 2007 meeting.

The MSRC respectfully requests the AQMD Board’s approval to issue the sole-source contract and release the RFP under the FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program. The MSRC also requests authority to adjust the funds allocated to each project specified in this Board letter by up to five percent of the project’s recommended funding. The Board has granted this authority to the MSRC for all past work programs. Finally, the MSRC requests the Board authorize the AQMD Chairman of the Board the authority to execute all agreements described in this letter.

Sole-Source Justification

The Federal Department of Transportation plans for a nationwide 511 network to be completed by the year 2010. A 511 program has already been launched in the Bay Area and San Diego. Now it is set to launch in the South Coast region, initially within the Los Angeles County. To prepare South Coast commuters for the launch of the 511 network, the MSRC’s FY 2006-07 Phase II AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program included a set aside of $1 million to implement a 511 Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign. The MSRC’s 511 Program will focus on educating the commuting public regarding the availability of 511 and the services offered. This new 511 telephone service is to access a host of commuter-related services, including but not limited to freeway drive time estimates, mass transit information, and roadside assistance. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is the agency which will initially implement the 511 Program in the South Coast Air Basin. Given its transportation role in Los Angeles County, as well as its ad buying power and in-house creative resources, which will achieve greater leveraging of the MSRC’s funding, the Metro is in a unique position to implement the MSRC’s program. MSRC funding will be used solely for media placement and before and after surveys. This request for sole source is made under provision VIII.B.2.c.(2): the desired services are available only from the sole source due to unique experience and capabilities of the proposed contractor or contractor team.

Resource Impacts

The AQMD acts as fiscal administrator for the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Program (Health & Safety Code Section 44243). Money received for this program is recorded in a special revenue fund (Fund 23) and the contracts will be drawn from this fund. These contracts will have no fiscal impact on the AQMD’s operational budget.

Attachment(s)  (EXE 898kb)

1. MSRC Agenda Item #11 on 511 Commuter Services Outreach & Public Awareness Campaign
2. #RFP2007-28:  Programmatic Outreach Services in Support of MSRC Clean Transportation Funding Programs