BOARD MEETING DATE: January 7, 2005
AGENDA NO. 5

Execute Contract for Privatization of Portion of Annual Emission Reporting Program

SYNOPSIS:

At its October 1, 2004 meeting, the Board approved release of an RFP for continuation of privatization of portions of the Annual Emissions Reporting (AER) Program. This action is to award the contract to Ecotek, MST Solutions, Inc. for implementing the 2004-05 AER Program.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, December 10, 2004, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Ecotek, MST Solution, Inc. to privatize portions of the 2004-05 Annual Emissions Report Program at a cost not to exceed $340,000 with an annual option to renew the contract for three additional years.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

On October 1, 2004, AQMD released RFP# P2005-12 to continue the privatization of portion of the annual Emissions Report (AER) program. Under AQMD’s annual emission Report (AER) program, facilities report their emissions annually and pay emission fees in accordance with Rule 301(e) requirements. Privatization of portions of the AER program in the past nine years has significantly enhanced the overall program efficiency, improved services to facilities, as well as improved data quality. Privatization has also enabled AQMD staff to more effectively conduct engineering audits of the annual emission reports and provide support for other AQMD programs. The portions of the AER program that have been privatized include: 1) revision of emission and fee reporting forms and instructions, 2) providing software and paper forms as reporting options, 3) preparing and distributing emission reporting packages to facilities, 4) providing public outreach and assistance in filing the annual emission reports, 5) receiving the reports and compiling emission and fee data files, 6) generating image files (for paper submittals), 7) conducting data quality control, and 8) transferring data files to the District for inclusion in the District’s central database. Actual collection of annual emission fees, billing adjustments, and auditing the reported data continues to be handled by AQMD staff.

Beginning with the year 2000-01 reporting cycle, the AER program has also incorporated the toxic emissions reporting requirements of the Air Toxics "Hot Spots" (AB2588) program to further streamline the reporting process. Facilities subject to the AB2588 program are required to submit their quadrennial toxics emissions inventory report under the AER program. Consolidation of the AB2588 toxics emission inventory reporting requirement into the AER program has further streamlined the reporting process, improved the toxics emissions data quality and minimized the required resources by both facilities and the AQMD staff.

The amount of the contract is reduced from $400,000 to $340,000 to reflect the fact that the window-based client/server program software for inputting or revising data submitted by facilities has already been developed, and integration of the criteria pollutants and toxics emissions inventory has been completed to further streamline the reporting process for the facilities.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	11.	La Opinion	21.	Rafu Shimpo
2.	Black Voice News	12.	La Prensa Hispana	22.	San Bernardino Sun
3.	Chinese Daily News	13.	La Voz Publications	23.	State of California Contracts
4.	Desert Sun	14.	Los Angeles Daily News		Register
5.	Eastern Group Publications	15.	Los Angeles Sentinel	24.	The Daily Breeze
6.	El Chicano	16.	Los Angeles Times	25.	The Excelsior
7.	El Informador	17.	Orange County Register	26.	The Signal
8.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	18.	Philippine News	27.	Wave Community Newspapers
9.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	19.	Precinct Reporter
10.	Korea Central Daily	20	Press Enterprise

Additionally, potential bidders were notified utilizing the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Firms, the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; and AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. Notices of the RFP were 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 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 is also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724. In addition, notice of RFP was also mailed to 134 consulting firms, identified by AQMD staff as potential bidders.

Bid Evaluation

Only one proposal was received in response to the RFP by the deadline for submittal of 1:00 p.m. on November 2, 2004. The proposal was from Ecotek, MST, Solution Inc., who has been AQMD’s contractor for the privatization Portion of the AER Program for the past nine years. The evaluation of this proposal and its rating are included in Attachment A.

This proposal was evaluated and scored by a five-member evaluation panel. The evaluation panel rated Ecotek a final average score of 103 (out of maximum of 110) based on their extensive experience in providing software program for emission reporting, public outreach, and assistance in filing the annual emission reports. It was also based on clear understanding of the nature and extent of the work to be performed, specific approaches to further streamline the reporting process and enhance the program efficiency.

Panel Composition

The evaluation panel consisted of two managers from CARB, one representative from a small business coalition, an AQMD Planning and Rules Manager, and an AQMD Technology Implementation Manager; one African American, four Caucasian; one woman and four men.

Resource Impacts

Funding of up to $215,000 has been budgeted for privatization of portions of the 2004-05 AER program for FY 2004-05 Budget. The balance of the funding ($125,000) will be transferred from the Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Fund to the Planning, Rule Development, and Area Sources Professional and Special Service Account.

Attachment

Evaluation of Proposal for RFP #P2005-12

ATTACHMENT A

EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL FOR RFP #P2005-12
 

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