BOARD MEETING DATE: JULY 13, 2007
AGENDA NO. 6

TITLE:

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the release of the attached Request for Proposals #P2008-02 for administrative assistance in organizing two air quality and health-related conferences in an amount not to exceed $150,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The AQMD has sponsored two successful Asthma and Air Pollution Conferences, the first on February 17, 2006 and the most recent on April 26-27, 2007, which featured a keynote address by Governor Schwarzenegger. An international conference on ultrafine particles was also held last year. The high attendance at all of these conferences and the feedback from the attendees both strongly indicate the success of these venues for disseminating information on the healthful effects of air pollutants to the public, to elected officials, to regulatory agencies, and to public policy makers. They also provide a significant communications forum for air quality and public health priorities in the South Coast Basin. These successes provide an impetus for a follow-up conference.

The South Coast Basin continues to exhibit some of the poorest air quality in the nation. Recent analyses estimate that the bulk of exposure to unhealthful levels of particulate matter occur in the population living in the District. This exposure leasd to an estimated 5,400 premature deaths per year due to particulate pollution, as well as heavily disproportionate asthma symptoms, hospital admissions, and emergency room visits. Additionally, recent assessments by CARB have shown that exposure to toxic air pollutants such as diesel exhaust is substantially higher in communities near sources of these pollutants.

Staff opinion is that an expanded program of public forums on the effects of air pollution is warranted and proposes two conferences on air quality, health impacts, and clean technologies. The two proposed conferences will be on (1) air toxics and (2) an international conference on particulate pollution. Staff is recommending a conference organizer be contracted to assist staff in organizing, securing funding, arranging for speakers, finding venues, and administering both conferences.

Request for Proposals

RFP #P2008-02 will solicit administrative assistance for organizing two conferences on air quality and health effects. Outreach efforts are critical to inform the public of health related programs, scientific advances, and policy issues related to air quality and health. The RFP will seek an individual or organization to provide administrative support, under staff direction, to organize and develop conference agendas, conduct conference outreach, locating potential conference venues, secure co-sponsorships, and secure speakers. The individual or organization selected will have a working knowledge of the conference topics and access to the related medical, scientific, and policy communities for these topics.

Bid Evaluation

The contractor will be selected through an open bid process according to AQMD's Consultant Selection Policy and Proposals. It is anticipated that a single award will be made from this solicitation.

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 conferences will provide forums for further enhancing awareness, understanding, and communication of the health effects of air pollution, available technologies to reduce emissions, and recommended AQMD activities and policies to achieve healthful air quality. This project was included in the Technology Advancement Office Clean Fuels Program 2006 Annual Report and 2007 Plan Update under the Outreach and Technology Transfer category, “Assessment and Technical Support of Advanced Technologies and Information Dissemination.”

Resource Impacts

The total amount of AQMD funding for the level-of-effort contract will not exceed $150,000. 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 mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.

Attachment  (DOC 769kb)
RFP #P2008-02 - Administrative Assistance in Organizing Air Quality and Health Related Conferences