BOARD MEETING DATE: June 6, 2008
AGENDA NO. 5

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Technical and Business Systems, Inc. to provide technical support for the AQMD Coachella Valley meteorological network in an amount not to exceed $50,000 with annual renewal options for the next three fiscal years based upon availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Since 1995, AQMD has maintained a network of meteorological stations in the Coachella Valley to support high-wind forecasting for windblown dust issues and analyses related to U.S. EPA regulations for the treatment of exceptional and natural events that lead to violations of the federal standards for particulate matter. The Coachella Valley Meteorological Network provides real-time data used for improved high-wind and windblown particulate matter forecasting throughout the Valley, and for public warning of such events.

On April 4, 2008, RFP #P2008-19 was released to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to provide technical support to AQMD related to the implementation, operation and maintenance of the AQMD supplemental meteorological monitoring network in the Coachella Valley. This contract will provide for technical support for the continuing monitoring program, including field measurements, maintenance of equipment, testing and calibrations of instrumentation, installation of new sites, data management, web site development for real-time data access by the public, and data analysis of windblown dust events. The contract will allow for multi-year renewal options to provide for greater continuity of the measurements, based on the availability of funds and contractor performance. Since this will be a time and materials contract for field work that cannot be completely defined in advance, the bid costs and staff resource allocations were analyzed based on a provided sample work plan. It is intended that this time and materials contract be awarded for $50,000, with future-year renewals for up to $55,000 per year or as funding allows.
 

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 and the cost effectiveness of using local consultants for the field work for this contract. The bid from Technical and Business Systems, Inc. was deemed highly responsive to the RFP. T&B Systems and their subcontractor, Severson Company, Inc., are both small business enterprises and are both local businesses; neither are disabled veteran owned business enterprises.

Attachment 1 reflects the evaluation of the proposals and the respective costs for the consultant who submitted a bid. Using the prescribed evaluation criteria to consider cost, technical qualifications and minority/small/local 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 provide technical support for the AQMD Coachella Valley meteorological network.
 

Panel Composition

The proposal evaluation panel consisted of one Planning and Rules Manager, one Senior Staff Specialist, and one Air Quality Specialist from AQMD Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources and one Air Pollution Specialist from CARB; one Asian/Pacific Islander and three Caucasian; one female and three male.
 

Resource Impacts

The Board allocated funds for this contract in the amount of $50,000 in the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources FY 2007-08 Budget.
 

Attachment

1 - Evaluation of Respondent to RFP #2008-19

ATTACHMENT 1
Evaluation of Bids from Respondents to RFP #2008-19
 

* Bid costs and staff allocations were evaluated based on a sample work plan scenario provided in the RFP to provide a consistent basis for bid comparison. Since this will be a time and materials contract for field work and event evaluations that cannot be completely defined in advance, the full amount of available funding is anticipated to be used for this contract effort.