BOARD MEETING DATE: October 2, 2009
AGENDA NO. 18

PROPOSAL:

Award Contracts and Re-Issue Program Announcement for Local Government Match Program - Tree Partnership

SYNOPSIS:

On June 5, 2009, the Board approved release of the Tree Partnership Program Announcement. This item is to award multiple contracts to provide funding towards additional tree planting projects. This action is also to re-issue the Program Announcement for Local Government Match Program for a one-month period.

COMMITTEE:

Climate Change, September 11, 2009; Stationary Source, September 25, 2009

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Authorize the Chairman to execute twenty contracts with nineteen cities, as detailed below for a total not to exceed $686,700 from interest earned from the Rule 1309.1 Mitigation Fund.

2. Approve re-issuance of Program Announcement and Application #PA 2009-11R to solicit proposals from local cities and counties proposing tree planting projects.
    

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At the January 2009 Board meeting, Chairman Burke introduced the 'Helping Hand Initiative for 2009.' One of the four components of this initiative is to partner with local city and county governments to co-sponsor additional tree planting in the South Coast Air Basin and provide employment opportunities for students. Planting low biogenic VOC emitting trees provides a net benefit to air quality by reducing criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and helping minimize heat island effects while providing aesthetic and energy reduction benefits to communities.

At the June 2009 Board meeting, the Program Announcement for Local Government Match Program – Tree Partnership #PA2009-11 was issued and proposals were accepted until July 31, 2009. During this period, extensive outreach was conducted through the distribution of flyers, public notices, e-mails using SCAQMD’s electronic listings, direct communication with potential applicants, and two informational workshops were held.

Thirty four tree planting proposals were received before the closing deadline from thirty two cities (one city submitted three proposals). The proposals were reviewed internally by three SCAQMD staff. Each proposal was first reviewed for completeness and meeting the requirements set forth in the program announcement, which included using California native trees. The proposals were then scored relative to each other based upon: dollars requested per tree to be planted, incorporating employment opportunities for students, and extra points for using drought tolerant trees. Staff is recommending funding nineteen cities at this time. As described in the next section, staff is also recommending re-issuing the Program Announcement.
 

Proposal:

Tree Partnership

This action is to execute twenty contracts with the nineteen cities listed below:

The proposed tree planting projects with these cities will result in the planting of over 4,300 trees and employ over 100 students for a total of 15,700 hours. Costs from executing these contracts will not exceed $686,700 to be incurred from the interest earned in the 1309.1 Mitigation Fund. The proposals from the other cities are not recommended to be funded at this time for a variety of reasons, such as not having student employment or including non-native trees in their proposals.

Re-Issue Program Announcement and Application #PA 2009-11R

Staff recommends re-issuing the Program Announcement for Local Government Match Program – Tree Partnership #PA2009-11R for a one month period (closing on Nov. 6, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.) This program has received substantial interest and despite the extensive outreach that was conducted, a few cities submitted proposals after the deadline and other cities did not have adequate time to develop a proposal. In addition, several submitted proposals were very well developed but need some modification to make them competitive and/or acceptable under the established guidelines.
 

Outreach

An extensive outreach program will be conducted for the re-issuance of the program announcement.

1. Applicants that submitted proposals that were not funded through this action will be notified. An explanation will be provided, so they can modify the proposal to meet the requirements and re-submit a proposal.

2. City and county governments will be notified utilizing AQMD’s own electronic listing which includes specific contacts of local governments and organizations that have shown interest in this program. Staff has also maintained a list of interested parties and will notify them, as well as the official city contacts. Notice of the program announcement will also be mailed to eligible city and county governments, the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, and placed on the internet at AQMD’s website (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 will also be available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.
    
3. In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the program announcement and inviting proposals 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 Air Basin.
    
4. One voluntary applicant workshop will be held to assist in the application process. In addition, staff will be available to answer questions and assist in the application process.
    

Resource Impacts
Total funding for the Tree Partnership was established at $1.5 million within the work plan presented at the February 6, 2009 Board meeting. Executing contracts with the nineteen cities will not exceed $686,700 to be incurred from interest earned on the 1309.1 Mitigation Fund. The cost of executing contracts resulting from the re-issuance of Program Announcement PA#2009-11R will not exceed $813,300. Existing staff resources will be adequate to administer the program.

Attachments (EXE, 308k)
A. List of Cities and Amount of Funding Recommended
B. Program Announcement and Application PA #2009-11R