TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Specifications for Request for Proposals
No. HR15-088 and award contracts to Centro Community Hispanic Association, Inc., of Long Beach, CA; KRA Corporation, of Fulton, MD; Long Beach Unified School District, of Long Beach, CA; and United Cambodian Community, of Long Beach, CA, to provide qualified services to operate Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Act Youth Academy Projects, in an aggregate annual amount not to exceed $1,700,000, for a period of one year, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods at the discretion of the City Manager; and authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contracts, including any necessary amendments thereto. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into contracts with Centro Community Hispanic Association, Inc., KRA Corporation, Long Beach Unified School District, and United Cambodian Community, to provide qualified services to operate Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Act Youth Academy Projects. Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network (Pacific Gateway) operates the Youth Opportunity Center to facilitate assistance with education completion, access to career and technical education and training, participation in internships, and other work-based experiences. To maximize outreach in the communities covered by Pacific Gateway and to deliver many of the above services prescribed by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Pacific Gateway contracts with qualified education- and community-based organizations to deliver many of these intensive academic and vocational training program elements.
Under the guidance of the Workforce Investment Board and its Youth Council, Pacific Gateway, in coordination with the Purchasing Division, released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify projects and service providers focused on projects to serve in-school and out-of-school youth who are economically disadvantaged and possess various barriers to completing an educational program or securing and retaining employment. Project proposals required:
§ Collaborative partnerships with education, business, labor, social services, and community-based organizations;
§ Academic achievement and improvement, especially for youth who are deficient in basic skills or in need of returning to school;
§ Education (short- and long-term vocational training) and work experience strategies tied to industry needs that expose, prepare and place youth in high-growth and high-demand industries; and,
§ Sufficient supportive services and resources to ensure youth success.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Press-Telegram on April 3, 2015, and 4,722 potential proposers specializing in various youth development services were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those proposers, 76 downloaded the RFP via our electronic bid system. The RFP document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing>, and Pacific Gateway's website at www.Pacific-Gateway.org. An RFP announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Six proposals from five agencies were received on April 30, 2015. Of the five agencies submitting proposals, one was a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), two were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), one was a Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE), one was a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and four were Long Beach businesses (Local).
A selection committee, comprised of three members of the Youth Council of Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board, reviewed the proposals and determined the following agencies to be the most qualified to meet the City's needs.
Firm |
City, State |
MBE |
WBE |
SBE |
DBE |
Local |
Centro Community Hispanic Association |
Long Beach, CA |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
KRA Corporation |
Fulton, MD |
X |
|
|
|
|
Long Beach Unified School District |
Long Beach, CA |
|
|
|
|
X |
United Cambodian Community |
Long Beach, CA |
|
|
|
|
X |
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download the RFP. Through outreach, 454 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit an RFP, of which 16 downloaded and four submitted a proposal.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Kendra Carney on May 12, 2015 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on May 15, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Specifications No. HR15-088 and award contracts concurrently is requested on June 2, 2015 to ensure documents are in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
Contract costs will not exceed $1,700,000 per year. The total aggregate contract authority requested is $5,100,000 over a three-year period. This request is fully funded by an annual grant made available under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). No cost match is required for this program. Sufficient WIA grant funding is currently appropriated in the Community Development Grants Fund (SR 150) in the Human Resources Department (HR) for year one activities.
The award of these contracts will provide continued support to our local economy by delivering job training, skills enhancement, and subsidized employment opportunities to approximately 350 youth.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DEBORAH R. MILLS
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER