BOARD MEETING DATE: June 6, 2008
AGENDA NO. 4

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Technical and Business Systems, Inc. to conduct systems and performance audits of the AQMD meteorological monitoring network in an amount not to exceed $60,000 with one renewal option to add funds in Fiscal Year 2008-09, based upon availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

To provide meteorological data for air quality analyses, forecasting, and regional photochemical modeling in the South Coast Air Basin and to meet the upper air measurement requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS) program, AQMD currently operates five upper-air meteorological stations. These are located at the Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Moreno Valley, Irvine, and Whiteman Airport in Pacoima. These upper air stations consist of tower-mounted surface meteorological sensors (winds, temperature, relative humidity, pressure, ultraviolet radiation and solar radiation), radar wind profilers (RWP) with a radio acoustic sounding system (RASS), and acoustic wind profilers. In addition to the upper air stations, the AQMD also operates a network of surface meteorological stations, most of which are located at AQMD air quality monitoring stations.
 

High quality wind and temperature data are required from the surface and upper air monitoring stations to provide critical data for operational, research and planning needs, including: daily air quality forecasts issued to the public; pollution transport assessment, operational forecasts for focused field studies; case study analyses; inputs to meteorological models used to describe air flows and atmospheric mixing; and inputs to regional photochemical models used for strategic planning and attainment demonstration purposes. To ensure the quality of measurements from the upper air sites for AQMD needs, as well as for the overall objectives of the PAMS program, quality assurance audits of the upper air stations and other key meteorological measurement stations are needed. On April 4, 2008, RFP #P2008-18 was released to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to conduct systems and performance audits of the AQMD meteorological monitoring network.
 

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP/RFQ 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/RFQ was 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. Information was also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.
 

Bid Evaluation

Copies of the RFP were downloaded from the AQMD web site, mailed and emailed in response to requests and only one bid was received in response to the RFP when final bidding closed at 1:00 p.m. on May 6, 2008. This reflects the highly specialized nature of this work. The bid from Technical and Business Systems, Inc. was deemed highly responsive to the RFP. Technical and Business Systems, Inc. is a small business enterprise and a local business, although as an EPA-funded contract, no local business points are awarded in this case; they are not a disabled veteran owned business enterprise.
 

Attachment 1 reflects the evaluation of the proposal and the costs for the consultant who submitted the bid. Using the prescribed evaluation criteria to consider cost, technical qualifications and minority/small business status, Technical and Business Systems received an excellent overall score. Staff recommends that the Board award the contract to Technical and Business Systems, Inc. to conduct systems and performance audits of the AQMD meteorological monitoring network.
 

Panel Composition

The proposal evaluation panel consisted of one Planning and Rules Manager and one Air Quality Specialist from AQMD Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources, one Quality Assurance Manager from AQMD Science and Technology Advancement, and one Air Pollution Specialist from the California Air Resources Board, Monitoring and Laboratory Division; two Caucasian and two Asian/Pacific Islander; one female and three male.
 

Resource Impacts

Funds for this contract have been earmarked from the U.S. EPA Section 105 Grant for the PAMS 16^th Year program. These funds, in the amount of $60,000 were recognized, appropriated and reallocated by the Board at the October 5, 2007 meeting (Agenda No. 14) to Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources under Contracts – Program Audits (26530-67450). Since this contract uses PAMS pass-through funds, it will not impact AQMD staffing or fiscal resources.
 

Attachment

1 - Evaluation of Respondent to RFP #2008-18

ATTACHMENT 1
Evaluation of Bids from Respondents to RFP #2008-18