BOARD MEETING DATE: December 3, 2010
AGENDA NO. 3
PROPOSAL:
Execute Contract for Consulting Services on Transportation and Goods Movement Strategies
SYNOPSIS:
At the September 10, 2010 meeting, the Board approved release of an RFP to solicit qualified firms to represent and advise AQMD on goods movement and broader transportation issues involving air quality. The Board has placed a high priority on addressing mobile source emission reductions from the transportation sector. Three responses were received from this solicitation and reviewed by a panel. This action is to execute a contract with Germania Governmental Services Corporation for consultation regarding transportation and goods movement strategies for a one-year period beginning January 2011, with options for two one-year extensions, upon satisfactory performance, at the Board’s discretion. Total expenditures for the contract shall be up to $100,000 for the initial one-year period.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, November 12, 2010. Less than a quorum was present; the Committee Members present expressed their concurrence that this item be recommended for approval by the Board.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with Germania Governmental Services Corporation for consultation regarding goods movement strategies, and broader transportation issues for one year, beginning in January 2011, for an amount not to exceed $100,000, with options for up to two one-year contract renewals.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Over the past few decades, air quality in Southern California has improved considerably, but the region still continues to be impacted by the poorest air quality in the nation. The Board has adopted stringent but innovative policies and programs that have greatly reduced stationary source emissions, so that currently 80% of emissions are generated by mobile sources, including more than 11 million gasoline vehicles and over 300,000 diesel vehicles. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce emissions drastically from the transportation and goods movement sector for Southern California to attain the federal clean air standards by the given timeframes. Both technology advancements and transportation funding and policies play an important role in cleaning up pollution from mobile sources.
Because of the need to achieve 75-90 percent additional NOx reductions by 2030 in order to meet new federal Clean Air standards, the District needs to work with transportation agencies and other regional stakeholders to implement a freight transport system that meets the region’s long-term needs for transportation, mobility, air quality, and clean energy. Furthermore, it will be necessary to move towards broad-deployment of low-emission and near zero-emission technologies in the near future for realization of these goals.
Throughout 2011 and possibly beyond, much attention will be focused on the federal surface transportation authorization legislation, and successive state implementation bills, which will dictate transportation policies and priorities for years to come. There has been increasing interest in addressing goods movement in the federal bill, in order to ensure that the goods movement sector has a sustainable funding source to expand and maintain our freight delivery system and continue to grow in the cleanest way possible, under certain constraints.
In recognition of these challenges, the Board had previously authorized the hiring of consultants with expertise in transportation and air quality issues to assist and augment staff efforts. AQMD consultants have helped staff reach out to key individuals and organizations, secure membership in several transportation organizations, and develop and implement strategies to integrate the Board’s air quality priorities in transportation policies and programs. AQMD consultants have also assisted staff to build coalitions with local transportation policy leaders, state officials and other stakeholders to advance AQMD’s agenda. This effort, which is far-reaching and trend-setting for an environmental agency, is not complete yet and needs to be sustained both locally and nationally. It is thus necessary to continue to utilize the services of qualified consultants.
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, twenty-three RFP notification letters were mailed to firms across the nation (with 11 of those sent to firms within the South Coast Air Basin), and an electronic copy was placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site (http://www.aqmd.gov. Information was also available on the AQMD bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.
Bid Evaluation
Three proposals were received in response to the RFP. The proposals were evaluated and scored by a four-member evaluation panel. Only one of the three proposals evaluated was deemed to be technically qualified. The firm that was deemed technically qualified is Germania Governmental Services Corporation; therefore, it is recommended that a contract be executed with this firm in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for a one-year period starting January 2011, to utilize their services regarding goods movement strategies and broader transportation issues. The attached matrix presents the scores and total proposal cost for the proposals.
Panel Composition
The evaluation panel consisted of two AQMD Assistant Deputy Executive Officers, one Senior Policy Advisor, and one association of governments’ Director of Community Resources; three Asian and one Caucasian; three male and one female.
Resource Impacts
Funding for this contract is available in the Legislative and Public Affairs FY 2010-11 Budget. Funding for the two optional one-year extensions is contingent upon Board approval of the Budget for the respective fiscal years.
Attachment (PDF, 6.4k)
RFP #P2011-07 Scores and Costs Matrix