TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute agreements with Willdan Engineering, of Industry, CA; CSG Consultants, Inc., of San Mateo, CA; Interwest Consulting Group, of Huntington Beach, CA; HR Green California, Inc., of Orange, CA; and Jason Addison Smith Consulting Services, Inc., dba JAS Pacific, of Upland, CA, for as-needed plan review and inspection services in an aggregate total not to exceed $450,000 per year for a two-year period, with two consecutive one-year renewal options at the discretion of the City Manager, and any necessary amendments thereto. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into agreements with multiple firms to provide as-needed, temporary plan review and inspection services. In recent years, the Building and Safety Bureau (Building Bureau) of the Department of Development Services (Department) has been experiencing workforce shortages due to protected medical leaves, transitional duty assignments, and periodic vacancies due to retirements. During Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 14), the Department had nine inspectors and one plan checker out on medical leave or temporary duty assignments due to work restrictions. Overall, the Building Bureau lost the services of approximately 2.1 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs), or nearly 7.5 percent of its inspectors and plan checkers, during FY 14. The Building Bureau also has four unfilled vacancies due to recent retirements. The Department has started the recruitment to fill these positions, however, the hiring process can be lengthy.
Pursuant to federal and state law, personnel on protected medical leave and personnel being provided a reasonable accommodation under the law, such as a temporary duty assignment or an intermittent work schedule, must be placed in their same or equivalent position when they return to work. The Department has tried different methods to hold positions open for staff while striving to maintain the service levels expected by the
Department's customers, however, these efforts have been insufficient to meet the Department's standard 24-hour response time for each call for an inspection.
To address this deficiency, the Department conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) process on January 10, 2014, to identify firms to perform these services on an as-needed basis. RFP No. DV14-025 was advertised in the Press-Telegram on January 14, 2014, and 4,599 potential proposers specializing in technical and construction services were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those potential proposers, 109 downloaded the RFP document via our electronic bid system. The RFP document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, and the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing>. 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's business groups. Nine proposals were received on January 31, 2014. Of those nine proposals, none were Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), none were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), two were certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), and none were Long Beach businesses (Local).
Purchase orders in an aggregate amount not to exceed $200,000 were issued to Willdan Engineering, of Industry, CA; CSG Consultants, Inc., of San Mateo, CA; Interwest Consulting Group, of Huntington Beach, CA; HR Green California, Inc., of Orange, CA; and Jason Addison Smith Consulting Services, Inc., dba JAS Pacific, of Upland, CA, pursuant to Chapter 2.84.010 of the Long Beach Municipal Code. However, recent retirements have created additional workforce shortages, increasing the Building Bureau's need for these temporary services. Therefore, additional purchasing authority is requested.
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 assists businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download RFP specifications. Through outreach, 501 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit proposals, of which 13 downloaded and none submitted a proposal. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Vu on December 9, 2014, and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on December 17, 2014.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on January 6, 2015, to ensure customers at the Development Services counters continue to receive plan check and inspection services in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
The aggregate authority of $450,000 is an annual not-to-exceed cost for each year of a two-year period. The authority is based on anticipated needs to address workplace shortages. The cost for these services is budgeted in the Development Services Fund (EF 337) in the Development Services Department (DV). Any work not currently budgeted will only proceed at such time that appropriations have been approved by City Council. The award of this contract will provide continued support to our local economy by assisting in the preservation of employment for nine full-time employees and two part-time employees residing in Long Beach.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
AMY J. BODEK, AICP
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER