BOARD MEETING DATE: October 5, 2007
AGENDA NO. 4

PROPOSAL:

Execute Contract for Janitorial Services at Diamond Bar Headquarters

SYNOPSIS:

The current contract for Diamond Bar headquarters’ janitorial services expires October 31, 2007. On May 4, 2007, the Board approved a change to AQMD’s contracting policy that provided additional points in the proposal evaluation process as an incentive for janitorial, security guard, and landscaping services contractors to provide affordable health insurance to their full-time employees. The RFP to solicit proposals from firms interested in providing janitorial services for the next three-year period was re-released on May 18, 2007. This action is to execute a contract with Diamond Contract Services, Inc., through October 31, 2010, for an amount not to exceed $1,012,418. Funding for this contract has been included in the FY 2007-08 Budget and will be requested in successive fiscal years.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, September 14, 2007, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a three-year contract with Diamond Contract Services, Inc., through October 31, 2010, for an amount not to exceed $1,012,418.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

AQMD contracts with a janitorial services firm to provide routine janitorial services and supplies at the Diamond Bar headquarters. The contract with the current contractor, Diamond Contract Services, Inc., was scheduled to expire February 28, 2007. During the Administrative Committee’s January 2007 review of staff’s recommendation on selection of a contractor for the next three-year period, Board Member concern was raised regarding the issue of a “living wage” requirement, and the Committee asked that the contract recommendation be postponed pending Board discussion of the topic. The Diamond Contract Services contract was extended to April 30, 2007. At its retreat on March 29, 2007, the Board discussed a “living wage” requirement and asked staff to prepare options for Board consideration. On April 6, 2007, the Board approved a month-to-month extension of the Diamond Contract Services contract for up to an additional six months, pending conclusion of the “living wage” determination.

Options were presented to the Board at the May 2007 meeting and the Board approved a change to the contracting policy that awarded an additional ten points in the proposal evaluation process to janitorial, security, and landscape services contractors who provided affordable health insurance to their full-time employees. The RFP for janitorial services, revised to include the new incentive, was re-released on May 18, 2007.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was 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 have been notified utilizing AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. Notice of the RFP has been 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/). Information was also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Proposal Evaluation

Two hundred and eight copies of the RFP were mailed out and 31 vendors attended the June 6, 2007 mandatory bidders’ conference. Eighteen proposals were received when final bidding closed at 2:00 p.m., June 19, 2007. Seven proposals were complete and met RFP requirements.

The panel that evaluated proposals included a Director of Community Services with the City of Diamond Bar and four AQMD employees—a Business Services Manager, a Building Maintenance Manager, a Facilities Services Technician, and an Air Quality Specialist with expertise in “green” cleaning products. Of these five panel members, three are Caucasian and two are Hispanic; two are female and three are male.

The panel evaluated the seven qualified and responsive proposals based on criteria specified in the RFP, which included cost, understanding of the requirements, contractor qualifications, compliance with “green” cleaning supplies requirements, and client references. None of the responsive proposals included medical insurance coverage for the contractor’s employees at the level required to receive additional points. Attachment A summarizes scores of the qualified bids. Diamond Contract Services, Inc., submitted the highest-rated qualified bid and received excellent references for comparable public-sector janitorial services.

Resource Impacts

The three-year cost this contract is $1,012,418: $216,994 for FY 2007-08, $331,543 for FY 2008-09, $346,428 for FY 2009-10, and $117,453 for the period of the contract that fall within FY 2010-11. Sufficient funds are available in the approved FY 2007-08 Budget. Since this will be a three-year contract, continuing funding will need to be included in the budgets for each of the remaining fiscal years of the contract.

Attachment
Attachment A - Janitorial Services Bid Evaluation Summary

ATTACHMENT A

JANITORIAL SERVICES
BID EVALUATION SUMMARY